Advanced Topography Guided (T-CAT)

[blowy]

Hi, 

Is there anyone with any experience or knowledge in Topography Guided Custom Ablation Treatment for Keratoconus (T-CAT)
I have been offered combined corneal collagen cross-linking (C3R) with an additional T-CAT corneal laser re-shaping. (This is from a private clinic.)

Advanced Topography Guided (T-CAT) laser treatment is kept to a small degree of tissue ablation, with the maximum depth of tissue loss typically less than 50 microns.

This is something that I am really interested in but have been told from my NHS specialist that its very experimental.

Can you have the T-CAT treatment later a couple of years down the road when there is more supported data confirming the safety of the procedure?

Any information would be great 

Thanks 

Ian

[bing]

Keraflex is also a new treatment
why are you going for t-cat and not Keraflex ?

[Andrew MacLean]

Ian

The received wisdom used to be that laser treatment was not suitable for keratoconus because it made thinner still a cornea that was already thinned by KC. I am all for kicking over the traces of received wisdom, but would want to see real hard research data before experimenting with my eyesight.

Andrew

[blowy]

I've not come across keraflex before, I'll have a look and see what it's all about.
Thanks!!

Andrew,
I'm thinking the same, that's pretty much why I haven't rushed into having the procedure done.
I was thinking about having the crosslinking done now and waiting for concrete data to be released in the future or even different methods for correction.

Thanks
Ian

[liam82]

Are there any people on here who have had t-cat?

Im wondering what the pros and cons are with this vs keraflex.

Although to be honest i guess both are still very new

[Lynn White]

OK guys....

There is an extensive thread on KeraFlex here which I guess Liam found

T-CAT looks at affecting the bio-mechanics of the cornea by lasering the thicker areas of the cornea in order to create a beneficial shape change. There is about 4 years worth of follow up. If you look at cross linking, the NHS still considers this experimental after 9-10 years of international follow up, whereas T-CAT does not have multi centre follow up.

As far as "Can you have T-CAT later?" Yes you can.

It really depends on your individual case. if you do not have much distortion,then T-CAT may well restore good vision. If you have scarring or very thin corneas, then it may not be suitable. If you have good enough corneas to have it done but still are fairly advanced, then you may find it helps but you still need contact lenses.

As ever, asking about other people's experiences can be a double edged sword, as what works for them may not work for you!

Lynn