Keynote Lecture Thursday

Every year brings developments of particular interest to the world of ophthalmology. Eminent experts explore these topics in their 30-minute keynote lectures.

Recent studies have shown metabolic stress to play a key role in keratoconus pathogenesis. Other significant contributors include an unbalance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, an increase in proteases, and a decrease in proteinase inhibitors. The biomarker prolactin-induced protein (PIP) is among the promising new diagnostic options. Crosslinking is proving to be an effective therapy approach. As of 2018, German health insurers reimburse the cost for this procedure. The long-term results of collagen-crosslinking remain to be seen.

Professor Dr. Jesper Hjortdal is the director of the clinic for corneal and refractive surgery at the University Clinic Aarhus in Denmark. He was appointed director of the Danish Cornea Bank in 2009. Prof. Hjortdal has published more than 130 original contributions in his field.

Keynote Speaker: Jesper Hjortdal (Aarhus C, DK)

engl

von Graefe Saal

11:45 - 12:15

26.09.2019

Keynote Lecture	Do13
Keratokonus: New Insights into Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and Therapy

Metabolic stress, imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and increase in proteases or a decrease in proteinase inhibitors have recently been suggested to play an important role in keratoconus pathogenesis. New biomarkers discriminating between patients with and without keratoconus have recently been shown to be promising and may add to the current corneal shape-based diagnostic tools. Corneal-cross linking is today generally accepted as an effective treatment to halt keratoconus progression although long-term efficacy of the treatment still needs to be determined.

Claus Cursiefen, Klinikdirektor (Köln)

Jesper Hjortdal (Aarhus C)

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