Revolutionary Epithelium-on Cross-Linking Procedure Offers New Hope for Keratoconus Patients

ROCKVILLE, MD / ACCESSWIRE / November 26, 2024 / Dr. Roy Rubinfeld, an internationally renowned corneal surgeon and innovator, has developed a groundbreaking epithelium-on corneal cross-linking procedure that promises to transform the treatment of keratoconus.

He was recently featured in a cover story in Ocular Surgery News titled, “Rubinfeld leads disruption in corneal cross-linking“, discussing his major progress in the field.

Keratoconus is a common, painless, progressive eye condition where the cornea bulges into a cone-like shape. This can cause significant vision distortion problems, with millions of people losing their sight from this disease.

The original, traditional Epithelium Off developed in the 1990s, corneal cross-linking (CXL) treatment aims to halt the progression of keratoconus by creating new collagen bonds in the cornea. This older technique surgically removes the surface protective corneal epithelium layer so recovery is often long and painful often requiring opioids waiting for the protective surface to grow back over weeks. Complication include infections, haze, scarring and more.

After 15 years of dedicated research and development, Dr. Rubinfeld has pioneered a patented Epithelium-on cross-linking procedure that does not require surgical removal of the protective surface of the eye. Patients are back to work or school generally the next day and this new method has been shown in large, published studies to be more effective than traditional epithelium-off methods.

“I didn’t invent cross-linking,” Rubinfeld said. “I’ve just spent a great deal of time trying to make it safer and easier on patients and doctors to change the risks, benefits and treatment paradigms.”

Key advantages of this patented, novel Epithelium-on procedure include:

1. Minimal discomfort: Patients typically return to work the next day, requiring only over-the-counter pain relief like a single Tylenol tablet.

2. Same-day bilateral procedures: Unlike epithelium-off methods with long recovery times, both eyes can be treated in one session, saving time for patients.

3. Improved safety and effectiveness profile: A very large study of 2,228 patients showed no treatment-related significant adverse events. This is different from the older Epithelium Off CXL. As well, more patients found their vision stopped worsening with the new technique than the older, more invasive, Epithelium Off CXL treatment.

Rubinfeld’s proprietary epithelium-on procedure challenges the conventional approach of waiting for further vision loss before treatment. “The idea of waiting until people get worse before you treat them… really seems counterintuitive, if not negligent,” Rubinfeld stated. After initially receiving a cool reception, his hard work over the years earned his procedure entry into final FDA phase 3 trials in 2023.

Dr. Rubinfeld’s innovation addresses the growing recognition of keratoconus as a more prevalent condition than previously thought, suggesting it affects between 7-10% of the population in the developing world and millions of Americans. With its potential for early intervention, this epithelium-on cross-linking technique could have far-reaching implications for reducing the social, economic and developmental burden of keratoconus worldwide.

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Source: Re:Vision