Corneal Crosslinking (CXL): The gold standard for stopping keratoconus in Zurich

Crosslinking is a kind of “reinforcement therapy” for your cornea. Through the combination of vitamin B2 drops (riboflavin) and UVA light, hundreds of new, stable connections are created between the collagen fibers of your cornea. This makes the tissue significantly stiffer and more resistant again, which stops further progression of the cone-shaped bulge in over 95% of cases.

Yes. According to current scientific knowledge and long-term studies over more than 10 years, the stiffening of the cornea achieved by crosslinking is permanent. The goal is to stop the disease once, so that no further interventions are necessary for stabilization.

The primary and most important goal of crosslinking is to stop the progression of keratoconus, not to improve vision. In some patients, a slight flattening of the cornea and thus a slight improvement in vision occurs as a positive side effect. However, you should not rely on this. A targeted improvement in vision is achieved through other, subsequent procedures.

Not necessarily. Treatment is necessary when a clear progression – i.e. a deterioration – of keratoconus is proven. We use our high-precision diagnostics with the MS-39 to objectively measure changes and determine the perfect treatment time for you.

The procedure itself is completely painless thanks to numbing eye drops. However, we often hear this concern. Honestly, the first 1-3 days after the procedure (especially with the Epi-off procedure) are uncomfortable. You may experience pain, a foreign body sensation, and severe light sensitivity. However, we will give you effective painkillers and an exact eye drop plan to get you through this phase well.

Plan for a downtime of about one week. During this time, the top layer of the cornea (the epithelium) heals. For office work, you can usually return to work after 5-7 days. You should avoid physically strenuous or dirty work for at least two weeks.

Your vision will fluctuate in the first few weeks after the procedure. You may not drive again until you feel absolutely safe and the legally required visual acuity has been stably achieved again. This can take several weeks and will be checked during the follow-up examinations.

Light sporting activities such as jogging or the gym are usually possible again after 1-2 weeks. You should refrain from visiting swimming pools, saunas and steam baths, as well as contact sports, for at least one month to protect against infection.

The costs for such a specialized procedure can vary. At EyeLaser, you will receive a detailed and transparent cost estimate as part of the preliminary examination. However, the question of cost coverage is more important.

Yes. For a diagnosed and demonstrably progressive (progressing) keratoconus, corneal crosslinking is a recognized mandatory service of Swiss basic insurance. The prerequisite for this is a cost approval, which must be obtained from your health insurance company before the procedure. Our experienced team actively supports you in this process.

Yes, in many cases. The previous lower limit of 400 micrometers is no longer absolute today. At EyeLaser, we use special and safe protocols for such cases, such as the “Sub400 protocol”. The cornea is swollen to a safe thickness with special drops before the treatment is carried out.

For safety reasons and to make your regeneration phase as pleasant as possible, we usually treat the eyes at separate appointments. The interval between treatments is usually one to four weeks.

Crosslinking is a very safe and proven procedure. As with any procedure, there are rare risks such as delayed healing, infection, or temporary corneal clouding (“haze”). In the hands of an extremely experienced surgeon like Dr. Derhartunian, who has been using the procedure since 2007, the risk is minimal.

Yes, that is one of our great strengths. You can combine the laser (topo-guided Trans-PRK/PTK) directly with crosslinking to stabilize the cornea and smooth its surface at the same time. This can significantly improve the quality of vision.

Because you benefit from a unique combination: the immense experience of Dr. Derhartunian, who learned the procedure directly from the inventor, state-of-the-art diagnostics for precise planning, and a team that accompanies you not only medically but also personally throughout the entire process.