Category: Keratoconus

Keratoconus vision correction procedures have advanced over the last decade. There are several procedures that can help improve your overall quality of vision quickly and with little to no pain. Intacs is a procedure that can help you with a condition called Keratoconus and when it is combined with other procedure such as the Holcomb C3-R ® it can improve your quality of vision even more.

Below are the top 3 reasons to use Intacs for Treatment of Keratoconus:

Support in reshaping your cornea

Keratoconus causes the cornea to become misshaped, or distorted. The cornea becomes more cone shaped, which makes vision less clear and contacts more difficult to wear. Intacs are in the layers of the cornea and help to reshape your cornea to improve your overall quality of vision by reducing the irregular cone shape. While this treatment doesn’t cure the condition it can significantly improve quality vision with glasses or contacts by reducing distortions and prescription.

Needs little maintenance

The Intacs needs little maintenance. Once it is placed in the cornea layers the tiny insert is barely felt, and doesn’t need any maintenance from the patient. It can be removed easily if you need a prescription change, or for any other reason.

Can be combined with other treatments

The Intacs can be combined with other Keratoconus treatments to maximize the vision improvement. The Intacs procedure takes merely 7 minutes or less and other procedures can be combined with them, such as the Holcomb C3-R ®.

Watch Ian’s story of night vision improvement with Intacs

Find out today if Intacs is right for you call 310-594-5210 or email info@boxerwachler.com

When we are searching to a way to improve our Keratoconus vision we are often mislead. There are several treatments listed online but how do we find one we can trust? Finding the right eye care professional or even the right Keratoconus treatment can be confusing. One of the most important treatments for Keratoconus is the Holcomb C3-R ® (cornea collagen crosslinking).

Why you should chose the Holcomb C3-R ®:

The Holcomb C3-R ® is a great treatment for your Keratoconus. The Holcomb C3-R ® is a non-invasive treatment that will stabilize your vision over the following 4-16 weeks. It additionally can be combined with other procedures, such as Intacs, to improve the quality of your vision. Even better often these Keratoconus treatments can be performed on the same day without even extending recovery time.

Benefits of the Holcomb C3-R ®

Non-invasive office based procedure (no scary surgery room)
Pain-free treatment
Procedure stabilizes vision and stops progression of Keratoconus
Can be performed on individuals as young as 8 years old with no upper age limit
Can be combine with other procedures to improve quality of vision
Takes about 30 minutes per eye
Uses natural vitamins already produced by the body

Combination of Procedures:

Many patients believe that the use of more than one procedure often requires longer healing and additional procedure dates. But with the Holcomb C3-R ® you can have procedures like INTACS, or even CK done the same day. These procedures will give you more improved vision results when preformed with the Holcomb C3-R ® and often times can keep you from having more procedures done at a later and avoid the dreaded painful cornea transplant.

Thousands of patients have improved their vision with the use of the Holcomb C3-R ® treatment since 2003. Many have found that either individually or in combination with other treatments they were seeing results right away, and improved vision when combined with Intacs or CK.

Watch 13 year old Jake’s story and experience with Holcomb C3-R and Intacs

Learn if Holcomb C3-R is right for you, call 310-594-5210 or email info@boxerwachler.com

If you hear the word ‘procedures’ you often worry about extended recovery time, more trips to the doctor, and even more pain. With the new treatments available for Keratoconus, you can combine your treatments, have less recovery time, and experience a better quality of vision in the long run.

There are many advances in technology when it comes to corrective eye care. Having more than one procedure done at a time is no longer a burden, but a benefit!

Benefits of combining your treatments for Keratoconus:

Reduced recovery time
Faster improvements in eye treatment
Rapid increase in quality of vision
Less hassle with multiple treatment dates, appointments, procedures
More support for your vision with combined treatments

There are many reasons to have a combination of treatments done for vision correction or conditions such as Keratoconus. With new technologies and treatment options we can now shorten your treatment time, and improve your quality of vision like never before.

There are treatments like Wavefront-guided LASIK, INTACS, and the new Holcomb C3-R ® which has been benefiting thousands of patients across the country. When paired with other treatments, it results in improved quality of vision – improving their daily lives.

Listen to Gail’s experience with Holcomb C3-R, Intacs, and Visian ICL:

Before the 1990’s there was little available in regard to treatment options for Keratoconus. Many patients had to deal with the debilitating effects of Keratoconus until they needed a Corneal Transplant. Now there are several new treatments that are improving the overall effects of Keratoconus. INTACS have been available to patients for the treatment of Keratoconus since 1999. This treatment can also assist patients with other eye conditions such as Myopia.

Below are benefits of INTACS for Keratoconus:

Simple, out-patient procedure.
Less invasive then a corneal transplant
Provides you with Improved Quality of Vision
Most Commonly takes less than 15 minutes
Removable if technology changes, but designed to remain in the eye for a lifetime

For most people, the use of INTACS for Keratoconus is a great treatment for correcting their quality of vision and comfort in glasses and contacts. The INTACS are not noticeable within the eye and do not require maintenance once in place. If this is something you might be interested, in speak with your eye care professional for more information.

Procedure & Recovery:

15-30 min. total operative time (1 or 2 eyes)
Little to no recovery time
Little to no pain
Almost immediate improvement
Can be combined with other eye care procedures

There are several advantages including quicker and little to no pain with recovery. INTACS can take the place of your glasses or contact lenses, however most commonly assists in the comfort of these types of correction. They help to reshape the eye’s cornea to help improve your overall quality of vision.

Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, MD is a renowned eye surgeon specializing in Keratoconus Treatments, as well as other vision correction procedures.

Watch how a 12 year old boy had his vision restored and saved by INTACS. He was saved from having to undergo the invasive cornea transplant:

For those who have had family members or close friends that were diagnosed with Keratoconus, treatment options probably didn’t sound very promising at that time. With new advancements in the treatment of Keratoconus, success is a common place. In fact over 90% of all patients with Keratoconus are now receiving successful treatments for their Keratoconus, and may have improved overall vision, WITHOUT the need to undergo a painful corneal transplant!

Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that changes the shape of your cornea from circular to cone shaped over time. These distortions cause your vision to decrease and lower the quality of your vision, as well as your ability to complete your daily life activities. In past years there were only a few treatments available. A diagnosis of Keratoconus meant that you would eventually require a corneal transplant. Now only 5% of patients with Keratoconus eventually need a corneal transplant, and these cases are often due to additional circumstances beyond the Keratoconus diagnosis.

Below are a couple of the New Treatments for Keratoconus:

Holcomb C3-R® Crosslinking System

This treatment was developed over a decade ago and has made remarkable strides in successful Keratoconus treatment. This is a totally non-invasive treatment that only takes about 30 minutes to perform. It strengthens the cornea, reducing visual distortions, fluctuations, and can even occasionally improve overall vision.

INTACS

INTACS is another great treatment for those with Keratoconus that uses tiny segments which are placed in the cornea and reduce the steepness to create a more normal shape. This treatment requires little maintenance and the segments are intended to be left in the eye for a lifetime. The INTACS can be done in combination with the Holcomb C3-R ® to provide better results and is great for those with Keratoconus.

These amazing new treatments have restored hope in the lives of thousands of patients over the past decade. Knowing that there are several new treatment options out there to help you regain your vision should add new hope to your treatment’s success.

Listen to Tom’s story of avoiding a cornea transplant. Tom says “run, don’t walk to see Dr. Brian”

Those battling eyesight issues, especially people with kerataconus, know how aggravating it can be to go back and forth from one doctors appointment to another. Prescription contacts, glasses or eye surgery without results can make it seem like relief is too far away. However, Insertable Contact Lenses (ICL) can help improve your vision without the hassle of traditional lenses.

ICL treatment is a new breakthrough in the field of enhanced vision care and consists of lenses that are inserted into your eye through a small opening. The lens, which is made out of copolymer and collagen, then unfolds in your eye and is positioned behind the iris and in front of your natural lens.
The entire process is completed as an outpatient procedure in about 10 to 15 minutes. Benefits to inserting an ICL for keratoconus include:

• Same day improvement in vision
• Should vision change in the future, the lens can be exchanged
• Once in place, you cannot feel the ICL
• Material won’t degrade
• Ideal for those that suffer from dry eyes

The collamer material that makes up the ICL is highly biocompatible, allowing the lens to rest in position in order to correct vision. Additionally, the ICL contains an ultraviolet filter that protects your eye. Once the procedure is complete, the ICL will remain in your eye without needing to be maintained aside from an annual visit to your eye doctor to check for changes in your vision. Talking to your eye doctor during your next visit will allow you to learn about ICL treatment so you can see how it can improve your vision and correct keratoconus.

For those who are familiar with Keratoconus, Corneal Transplants maybe a familiar treatment option. But with today’s advanced technology, there are several treatments yielding amazing results when it comes to the treatment of Keratoconus. For generations past, the only treatment of Keratoconus was a corneal transplant. But the success of alternative treatments has made corneal transplants an option in less than 5% of patients with Keratoconus in fact they are almost obsolete.

Other treatments such as the Holcomb C3-R®, INTACS®, Hybrid Lenses, and even PRK have yielded excellent results. These treatments have aided in slowing, reversing, and in some cases stopping the progression of Keratoconus. For many, visual freedom and overall improved quality of vision is within reach.

Some of you may be wondering what Keratoconus is and what are the signs. For those of you who are new to this condition or even have family members who are newly diagnosed with Keratoconus, it is a progressive eye condition which causes the cornea to extend into a cone-shape causing distortions in the patients vision over time.

The lens slowly bulges outward causing blurred or double vision, decreased night vision, difficulty reading, and several other symptoms. The condition can be hereditary, caused by frequent rubbing, or injury to the eye. Over time the patient can have a severe decrease in vision, causing problems with daily activities, driving, or night vision.

Treatments:

Holcomb C3-R® Corneal Crosslinking System

Also known as Corneal Collagen Crosslinking with Riboflavin, Holcomb C3-R® is a treatment that strengthens the corneal fibers over time, fixing the damage or bulge to the cornea. This can improve the vision slightly over 4-16 weeks, but most importantly it will stop the disease from progressing. The treatment is non-invasive and uses a natural vitamin called Riboflavin along with a UV light to activate it. The treatment takes 30 minutes and continues to work to improve your sight for weeks after it’s complete.

INTACS®:

INTACS® are tiny segments that are placed in your cornea to provide support and add shape to your cornea. INTACS® can be added in combination with the Holcomb C3-R® and take less than an hour for both eyes to be done. There is less recovery time and less pain involved with the procedure than a corneal transplant. The procedure for INTACS® is minimally invasive and requires very little recovery. INTACS® also can be removed relatively easily if technology changes or you need them removed for some reason in the future.

13yr old Brianna had her Keratoconus treated with these advanced treatments, watch her story here: http://youtu.be/KZFC8NOp_hI

The disease Keratoconus is a progressive condition that causes the patients quality of vision to decrease gradually over time. In the past there was only one main treatment for Keratoconus other than eye glasses or contact lenses, which was corneal transplants. Over the past decade or longer, technology has improved the treatments for Keratoconus including treatments like INTACS®, Holcomb C3-R®, and even CK.

These treatments alone or combined can improve the patients overall vision, and in almost all cases they have been known to stop the progression of Keratoconus.

Holcomb C3-R® Crosslinking System:

The Holcomb C3-R® is a treatment which is making incredible progress in the treatments for patients with Keratoconus. Keratoconus is a progressive condition that damages the cornea or the lens of the eye causing it to go from a dome shape to cone shape distorting the vision. The Holcomb C3-R® strengthens the corneal fibers allowing the cornea to return to its original shape over time and stopping the progression of the disease.

INTACS® are also a great treatment to help those with Keratoconus. There are many that also have the ability to combine both the Holcomb C3-R® with INTACS® to provide them with a better quality of vision and in some cases remove the need for glasses or contacts. INTACS® are tiny inserts that are placed within the cornea to help shape and provide support to your vision.

INTACS® Benefits:

Less-invasive procedure
Takes less than an hour
An outpatient procedure
Can be used in combination with other procedures
Less maintenance, can be easily removed if necessary

Dr. Brian Boxer Wachler, MD is a renowned eye surgeon specializing in Keratoconus treatments, and other procedures.

Here numerous stories of patients whose lives were changed by having their Keratoconus fixed by Dr. Brian: http://tiny.cc/m7h0ix

There has been great strides of progress when it comes to Keratoconus and over the last decade we have found several new treatments to improve your overall quality of vision. Although Keratoconus is a progressive disease there are several treatments that can improve your vision and in some cases reverse the damage already done by the disease. There are screenings that help predict Keratoconus at an early stage.

Yearly screenings are important. They can help your eye care professional spot early signs of Keratoconus. If you have a family history of the disease you should inform the doctor right away. This will help them detect the disease in its earliest stage. There are several treatments available to assist you with your Keratoconus and improve your disease allowing you to be free of glasses and contact lenses in some cases. Below are some early warning signs of Keratoconus and New treatments for those with the disease.

Keratoconus Symptoms:

• Blurred vision

• Frequent Prescription changes

• Halos

• Difficulty with night vision

• Excessive rubbing of the eyes

• Double Vision

• Headaches

Treatments for Keratoconus:

• Glasses, contact lenses – Changing prescriptions

• IOL’s or Intra Ocular Lenses

• CK

• Holcomb C3-R ®

• INTACS for Keratoconus

So if your question is, can Keratoconus be cured? No, but it can be treated. You can improve your overall quality of vision. And the earlier it is caught the better your vision can get. Some of the treatments in some cases have reversed the damage done by Keratoconus, but in most cases you can still get your vision back. So stop paying attention to all the blogs, magazines, articles, and general doctors, and consult an expert. Dr. Boxer Wachler, MD is a renowned eye surgeon specializing in Keratoconus treatments, LASIK, I-BRITE eye whitening, and other procedures.

Patient Pioneer – Dr. Brian’s Very First Intacs^® for Keratoconus Patient 20 years ago

If you are living with keratoconus, a progressive non-inflammatory eye disorder that causes a cone-like steepening of the cornea, you know how important it is to get treatment so that you can get back to your normal routine. Keratoconus damages your vision and makes it impossible to focus without the assistance of eyeglasses or contacts. Luckily, there is a treatment option that is non-invasive and helps address the issue.

Holcomb C3-R® treatment is the first non-invasive corneal crosslinking procedure for keratoconus and works by numbing the area before applying a solution that contains riboflavin and other compounds to your cornea. Once activated by a special UVA light it helps stabilize weakened links in the cornea collagen fiber, which allows most patients to see results in one treatment.

The benefits include being able to return to work the next day thanks to faster recovery time and no need for steroid eye drops after the procedure. In comparison, CXL treatment can take up to three months to heal and patients usually miss one to two weeks of work due to discomfort and pain. With the CXL treatment you also will have to wait 3 months to resume wearing contacts and have 2-13 weeks of steroid eye drop use until the outer layer of the cornea can heal. Corneal transplant has even more of an impact on your recovery, with an invasive and painful procedure that can take up to six months or a year for you to heal and wear contacts as normal.

With Holcomb C3-R® treatment, there is virtually no risk of complication. However, some patients report mild irritation in their eyes for a few days while most do not. You may experience haziness in vision for the remainder of the day following the procedure, but you can resume wearing contacts the next day. In the end, it is an excellent option for those with keratoconus to help improve eye strength moving forward.