Clearly KC host Dr. Melissa Barnett OD welcomes Dr. Justin Schweitzer OD from Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls, SD to discuss co-management of keratoconus patients. Dr. Schweitzer notes he practices in a tertiary eyecare setting, and local optometrists regularly refer patients for testing, treatment, or surgery. Dr. Schweitzer acts as the conduit between community optometrists and the Vance Thompson Vision surgeons. He reports successful collaboration usually means the patient returns to the referring doctor for post-operative care. He emphasizes the benefit of educating patients about their treatment options and stresses the importance of communication between referring doctors to assure patients are appropriately managed.

Clearly KC host Dr. Melissa Barnett OD checks in with Dr. Karen DeLoss OD of the Kellogg Eye Center at University of Michigan and reads questions collected from keratoconus patients. Dr. DeLoss offers some brand name solutions that she recommends and cautions that not all solutions work for all lenses. She reveals she quizzes her patients on their lens management techniques and uses these sessions to find out if her patients have developed any bad habits or gaps in understanding. For the patient who says she can’t insert her scleral lens, Dr. DeLoss encourages the patient to keep trying: there will be a great pay-off if the patient perseveres.

Clearly KC host Dr. Melissa Barnett OD explodes some myths with crosslinking expert Dr. William Trattler MD, of the Center for Excellence in Eye Care in Miami. He shares that patients with extremely thin corneas can be successfully crosslinked if the surgeon makes some adjustments in the treatment protocol. While most crosslinked patients will not need a second procedure, he observed that a repeat treatment can be safely performed if progression is suspected. Another myth debunked is that disease progression stops at age 40. Dr. Trattler reported seeing progression in older patients, often after years of no change, reinforcing the need for annual follow-up exams even after crosslinking or years of stability.