Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

German Corneal Cross Linking Register

This study, called the German Corneal Cross-Linking Register, is collecting information about a treatment for an eye condition called keratoconus. If you have keratoconus, the clear front part of your eye, called the cornea, gradually thins and bulges outwards. This can make your vision blurry and get worse over time, sometimes leading to the need for an eye transplant. Corneal Cross-Linking (CCL) is a treatment designed to make your cornea stronger, help stop it from bulging further, and potentially avoid the need for a transplant. The study is gathering information on many patients who have had this treatment in Germany to understand how well it works in the long term, and to spot any rare problems or side effects.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

Suphi Taneri

Enrolment target

7,500

Start

01 Nov 2007

Estimated completion

01 Nov 2027

Keratoconus

What is this study about?

This study is called the German Corneal Cross-Linking Register and it's looking at a treatment for an eye condition known as keratoconus. Imagine your eye is like a camera, and the clear front part, called the cornea, is like the camera lens. In keratoconus, this lens gets weaker, thins out, and starts to bulge forward, like a cone. This change can make your vision blurry and might get worse over time. If it becomes very severe, some people might even need an operation to replace their cornea.

The treatment being studied is called Corneal Cross-Linking (CCL). It's designed to make your cornea stronger and help stop it from bulging and thinning further. The main goals of CCL are to improve the strength of your cornea, prevent the condition from getting worse, and hopefully avoid the need for a corneal transplant.

The CCL procedure involves two main steps: First, a special kind of vitamin B2 eye drops (called Riboflavin) are put into your eye every couple of minutes for about half an hour. After that, your eye is carefully shined with a special UV light. This combination of drops and light works to strengthen the fibres inside your cornea.

This study, the German Corneal Cross-Linking Register, isn't testing a new treatment – it's gathering information on treatments that have already been done. Its main purpose is to collect long-term results from many patients who have had CCL in Germany. By doing this, researchers can better understand how effective the treatment is for a large number of people, and identify any uncommon side effects or problems that might only show up over a long period. This helps doctors learn more and improve care for people with keratoconus.

Key takeaways

This study collects information about Corneal Cross-Linking (CCL) for keratoconus.
CCL aims to strengthen the cornea and stop the condition from worsening.
The study gathers long-term results from patients treated in Germany.
It helps doctors understand how effective CCL is and identify rare side effects.
Participation involves sharing medical records; no new treatments or visits are required.

Who may be eligible?

This study is gathering information from people who have already been diagnosed with keratoconus and have received Corneal Cross-Linking (CCL) treatment in Germany.

There are no specific age limits for joining, and it includes both men and women.

However, it's strictly for those with keratoconus; if you have other eye conditions that aren't related to keratoconus, you wouldn't be part of this particular register.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Have I been diagnosed with keratoconus?
Have I received Corneal Cross-Linking (CCL) treatment?
Was my CCL treatment performed in Germany?
Do I have any other non-keratoconus eye conditions?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you are included in this register, it means that information about your past Corneal Cross-Linking procedure, and possibly your follow-up check-ups, will be collected. You will not need to attend extra visits or take any new medication specifically for this register. The study aims to gather details from your existing medical records over a long period to see how the treatment works over time. Your involvement is mostly about allowing your existing medical information to be used anonymously for research.

Potential risks and benefits

The main benefit of being included in this register is that your experience will help doctors understand more about Corneal Cross-Linking. This can improve care for future patients with keratoconus. Because this study gathers information from past treatments and doesn't involve new procedures, there are no direct risks to your health from participating. You always have the right to withdraw your consent for your information to be used in the register, meaning your data would no longer be included.

Locations (2)

University of Saar
Verified postcode
Homburg, Germany
Augenklinik am St. Franziskus Hospital
Verified postcode
Münster, Germany

Common questions

What is keratoconus?

Keratoconus is an eye condition where the clear front part of your eye (the cornea) thins and bulges outwards, like a cone. This can make your vision blurry or distorted.

What is Corneal Cross-Linking (CCL)?

CCL is a treatment that uses special eye drops (vitamin B2) and UV light to strengthen your cornea. This helps stop it from getting thinner and bulging more.

Will I receive new treatment if I join this study?

No, this study is a 'register,' meaning it collects information from people who have already had Corneal Cross-Linking treatment in Germany. You won't receive new treatment through this study itself.

Why is this study important?

It's important because it helps doctors learn how well Corneal Cross-Linking works for many patients over a long time. This helps improve the treatment and care for people with keratoconus.

Will my personal information be kept private?

Medical studies like this usually use anonymised data, meaning your personal details are removed so that the information can’t be traced back to you. Always ask your doctor for specifics on data privacy.