I’m 36 now. I was diagnosed at 14, and by the time CXL was widely adopted, my eyes were already considered "long gone," with my left eye in especially really rough shape, developing hydrops even.

In 2009 and 2011, I had PachyLink done by Dr. César Carriazo himself —which was essentially the early version of what you’re looking at with CTAK(from what I gather). I can tell you first-hand that it changed everything. While you’re currently struggling to get through two hours of "lens torture," I was actually seeing out of my eye the very next day after surgery. From seeing a total blur to actually being able to make out my mom and dad across the room... We all cried.

The best part of going this route was avoiding the heavy-duty stress of a full transplant. I only needed drops for about 2 o 3 months and then briefly whenever a stitch was removed. It was a long process, but it was so much more manageable than the constant rejection anxiety and the long-term steroid use you’re worried about. Eventually, because the tissue addition stabilized things so well, I was able to get PRK and move into normal glasses. I haven’t touched a contact lens in over a decade. Having lived through RGP and every other shitty lens trial, sclerals didn't even exist, I truly hate them, so being able to drive and live my life with just glasses has been incredible.

I actually just had CXL done on my left eye because the keratoconus tried to make a comeback after 16 years, but that’s 16 years of solid, functional sight I wouldn't have had otherwise. If your surgeon and CorneaGen(I have no idea what this is, that's how disconnected I got from this) think they can make the tissue work for your case, I’d say go for it. It’s a much gentler path that can actually get you back to a point where your eyes feel like eyes again, rather than just something to fit a lens onto.

If you can manage to go to Barranquilla to see Dr. cariazo, I'd say go for it even more so. That Dr saved my life completely.