A piece of your own cornea might patch a thinning one — a trial puts it to the test
NCT ID NCT04591587
First seen Jul 29, 2026 · Last updated Jul 30, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests whether a corneal lenticule — a thin disc of tissue taken from a donor eye during a type of laser surgery — can be implanted into the cornea of people with progressive keratoconus, a condition where the cornea thins and bulges outward. The goal is to increase corneal thickness and improve vision. Forty participants with progressive keratoconus will receive the implant, and researchers will measure changes in corneal thickness, visual acuity, and astigmatism.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a corneal lenticule implant obtained from RELEX SMILE surgery
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new way to strengthen the cornea and improve vision in people with keratoconus, potentially delaying or avoiding a corneal transplant.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with 40 participants. The procedure involves surgery and carries risks such as infection, graft rejection, or scarring. Long-term safety and effectiveness are not yet known.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for KERATOCONUS are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Eye Hospital Pristina
Pristina, 10000, Kosovo
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a simple eyeglass test sharpen vision in keratoconus?
- Can a donor corneal lenticule patch up a thinning cornea?
- Can a simple eye treatment stop the need for a corneal transplant?
- Eye insert could ease allergy symptoms for contact lens wearers
- Promising new eye treatment could halt vision loss from keratoconus
- Promising new eye treatment could halt vision loss from keratoconus