Share To find a cure for keratoconus (KC), we need first to understand how keratoconus corneas are different from normal corneas. Then we need to discover a way to prevent and/or reverse the effects of that process. The approach to understanding the differences between KC and normal corneas calls for knowledge of what is happening at the molecular cell level.

Research into these biochemical processes is painstaking and methodical. This research is creating the foundation for the greater levels of understanding that are required to develop a cure and/or treatment for keratoconus. What follows is a summary of past research, an account of current research, and a working hypothesis upon which future research can build.

The focus of this article is research in the biochemistry and molecular biology of keratoconus. To discover the cause and/or the changes that occur in this condition, scientists examine keratoconus and normal corneal tissue at the cellular level, searching for the differences between the two. Since KC does not occur in animals, human corneal tissue is needed for this research. The supply of this tissue is dependent on surgeons who send keratoconus tissue at the time of transplant surgery and eye banks which provide normal corneal tissue that is not suitable for transplant. The extent of research is limited by the supply of corneal tissue.