KERATOCONUS & RESEARCH
We have seen how the eye functions, how important
the cornea is to good vision, and how keratoconus
can negatively impact vision, careers, and lifestyles.
State-of-the-art treatment can mitigate the effects,
of keratoconus in varying degrees in different cases.
Through basic and clinical research, treatment has
reached its present level of effectiveness, and only
through continued research will treatment be improved.
But improved therapy is only a partial
answer to the problem. The ultimate solution lies
in finding the causes of keratoconus and using this
knowledge to prevent its occurrence. This is the
objective of the ongoing research program sponsored
by the National Keratoconus Foundation at the Jane
and Norman Neely Keratoconus Research Center. An
exciting discovery was recently made there concerning
the relationship between corneas afflicted with KC
and the much greater enzyme activity in these corneas
than in normal corneas. This is a potentially definitive
development in KC research and is being meticulously
followed up at this writing. Research into the genetics
and causes of KC has been supported at many institutions
by The National Keratoconus Foundation.
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