Silly question

[Libby]

Hi there everyone
Sorry if this sounds like a silly question - but as a newbie I keep reading about C3R but havent got a clue what it is!
Can you give a newbie some info pls
lol
Libby

[Andrew MacLean]

C3R

Corneal Collagen Crosslinking with Riboflavin

The cornea is self explanatory.

Collagen: this is the substance that makes up the structure of the cornea. Corneas with KC are thinner than normal, so along comes a researcher who thinks, "What can I do to restore 'thickness' to this thin cornea"?

There are lots of different sorts of Collagen. Riboflavin (better known as vitamin B2 is one of them.

Next question, how can we use riboflavin to crosslink with the collagen in the thin cornea.

The solution was to drop the Riboflavin into the eye and "fix" it in place with UV light. This has been refined by first removing the cells from the surface of the eye, dropping in Riboflavin, fixing with UV and in theory the Riboflavin is taken up by the eye restoring the thickness of the cornea to something close to normal.

That at least is my understanding of the theory and practice. The experience of others who have had this procedure is more instructive than the theory.

Andrew

ps there is no such thing as a silly question!
you can find more about C3R here
http://www.keratoconus-group.org.uk/for ... php?t=1380

[Libby]

Thanks Andrew,
You'd think after living with keratoconus for 20 years plus I would have known everything there is to know but after finding this web site it seems my knowledge of my own condition is somewhat limited.
Thanks again Libby

[Michael P]

Funnily enough there was an article in the Daily Mail, I think last week, about C3R.

C3R was not actually mentioned by name and the heading of the item was " How the vitamin in your cereal could end blindness".

I guess I had better get the cornflakes out now. I'll start with the right eye

[GarethB]

Eating Jacobs Twiglets or anything loaded in Bovril or Marmite contains far more Vitamin B12. A recent analysis shows my diet for the past few years is well loaded woth this vitamin that I exceed my recomended daily dose. Perhaps this is why my KC has been stable for the past 2 yeasr?

[Prue B]

Sorry Gareth, but if oral Vitamin B was able to stop KC, then it would be very rare in Australia, because we are happly little vegemites, as bright as bright can be, because we all enjoy our vegemite, for breakfast, lunch and teach. We all enjoy our vegemite, wa all adore our vegemite, its high in vitamin B.