1. to collect all scientific news concerning the keratoconus pathogenesis, as well as its evolution and therapies;
2. to assure them a complete and correct health news up-date regarding advantages, disadvantages and complications of every specific solution: prothesis, like glasses or contact lenses, and surgical operations;
3. to verify the goodness and efficacy of the several surgical techniques;
4. to inform its members about the work in progress ;
5. to answer every specific question, availing itself of an international panel of competent opththalmologists consultants,
6. to select a referenced permanent list of specialists all over the world to be of immediate help and first aid in case of individual need during a business or holiday trip out of one's own country, supplying its members with up-dated addresses and telephone numbers,
7. to provide an up-dated map of ultraspecialized Scientific Research Centers where the work on Keratoconus Pathogenesis and on medical-surgical solutions is performed;
8. to promote the knowledge and the Scientific Research on the several aspects related to the keratoconus pathology;
9. to promote courses to up-date the specialists in this field (doctors, nurses) on the best approach to the differents stages of the pathology;
10. To organize eventual trips for individuals or groups at the best available travel conditions (flight, hotels, transport, eventual interpreter ) to specialized centers for new therapies and surgery.

We wish to inform Keratoconus patients that, in order to avoid Keratoconus worsening, exists an overtested (several thousands of operations) local anaesthesia technique that an Italian Roman Ophthalmology Professor, Prof. Dott. Massimo Lombardi, has invented and performed from 1984.

A.R.K. (Asymmetrical Radial Keratotomy), Mini A.R.K. and the today up-graded A.M.K. (Asymmetric Microsurgery for Keratoconus) the rate achieved with this technique and officialy declared by the inventor Prof. Massimo Lombardi and his equipe with an over 10 years follow up is 85% of Keratoconus regression, 10% Keratoconus stabilization.

The 80% of the patients acquire a full, natural Visual Acuity.

The 15% of the patients has a very small residual ametropia ± 2,5 diopters of sph. + cyl. that, with spectacles, can be easily corrected. After 1-1,5 years of Keratoconus objectively demonstrated stabilization, the residual ametropia sph. + cyl. (astigmatism) can be definitively corrected with an Excimer Laser very conservative ablation to reach, where possible, a 20/20 natural visual acuity. 5% still needs glasses and Prof. Lombardi does not suggest in those cases because of a larger (>± 2,5 ) ametropia a further Excimer Laser operation.

An eventual list of A.R.K. - A.M.K. permormed english speaking patients is available.

The technique produces an applanation (with consequent corneal curvature regression) of the oversteeped part of the cornea where the keratoconus is present. It is performed through very short 2-3 mm and 70% deep, diamond microknife mini incisions on that area of steepening that every patient can see on the corneal map. The result is a normalization of the irregular curvature and a stop of the growth, and, in most cases, the consequent total (80%) or partial (20%) regression of the ametropia and the patients find it very satisfactory: 100% of the patients who performed the first eye want to do the other.
The corneal thickness is stabilized and, after 2 years, you can see also an average of 20 µ thickness regrowth.

Today, after an accurate overlook, we have found this technique as the most demanded with the highest satisfactory rate.
We have known from Prof. Massimo Lombardi that after 10 years follow up of over seven thousand patients only three eyes had to perform a corneal transplant, while the other eye was satisfactorily recovered. The treated eyes where of Keratoconus type I-II-III and more rare selected cases of type IV.

N.B.: All the answers are reserved to the members who can contact us via E-mail or by post.
The language used for the questions and answers must be English.