New Test to Assess Keratoconus Risk

At its very early stages, Keratoconus is often confused with myopia and astigmatism. Today’s diagnostic imaging tools that optometrists and ophthalmologists employ don’t allow early detection of corneal dystrophies as well as the early diagnosis of keratoconus. Keratoconus is being diagnosed only after a significant deterioration of vision. With the availability of a new genetic test, the risk of keratoconus can now be quantified at an early stage.

It’s not even a decade yet that corneal crosslinking has been FDA approved in the U.S. to stabilize Keratoconus progression using GLaukos riboflavins and UV illumination device. Despite the trials and attempts by scholars to find new ways to stabilize the progression of keratoconus, they now -with the introduction of Avelino new clinical tool- need to identify candidates right away for them to consider crosslinking at the earliest possible.

AvaGen, by Avelino Lab USA is a genetic test that is aimed to assess and quantify patients risk of keratoconus and corneal dystrophies. The test enables managing and treating patients with these conditions with more confidence. Moreover, it allows patients to benefit from the FDA crosslinking procedure at an early stage thus getting the chance to preserve their vision.

The results that this test provides also improve the quality of decision making when it comes to opting for refractive surgery. Elizabeth Yeu, MD, of Virginia Eye Consultants, an advisor to Avellino emphasized the role of the test in helping her to know early about the patient’s genetic predisposition and enables her to make treatment and management decisions with confidence. She notes “Assessing keratoconus is multi-factorial. Until now, genetic data has been missing from the equation. I order AvaGen when I have any red flag concerns in my refractive surgical evaluations, such as high astigmatism or steep corneal curvature, against-the-rule or irregular astigmatism in younger patients, a thin cornea, or in family members of a known keratoconus patient”.

The test was made available in late 2019 when the lab shifted its efforts to developing COVID-19 test. Avellino CEO and President Jim Mazzo notes “While we made AvaGen available in late 2019, we quickly pivoted our resources to do our part to address the COVID-19 pandemic over the last year with the development of our widely-used SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 test, which received Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the FDA. Thanks to widespread testing and adoption of the COVID-19 vaccines, we are now able to offer AvaGen nationally.”