fMRI and IVCM Cornea Microscopy of CXL in Keratoconus

This study is using two advanced imaging technologies to study keratoconus — a progressive eye condition where the cornea (the clear front surface of the eye) thins and bulges outward like a cone, causing blurry vision. The first technology is functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain, which measures how the brain processes visual signals. The second is in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), which produces extremely detailed images of the cornea's cellular structure without any surgery. The study focuses on patients who are receiving corneal crosslinking (CXL) — a treatment that uses UV light and riboflavin drops to strengthen the cornea and halt its progression. By scanning patients before and after treatment, researchers hope to understand both how CXL changes the cornea at the cellular level and whether it also changes how the brain adapts to the visual distortion caused by keratoconus. You may be eligible if: - You are between 8 and 35 years old - You have a clinical diagnosis of keratoconus and are seeking corneal crosslinking treatment (CXL group) - OR you have no keratoconus diagnosis and are willing to participate as a healthy control - You can speak English well enough to participate with parental assistance - You can lie still for a 60-minute MRI session You may NOT be eligible if: - You are claustrophobic - You weigh more than 285 pounds (MRI table limit) - You have a significant psychiatric disorder, chronic pain, seizure history, or neurological disease - You have magnetic implants or metal-containing tattoos on your chest or above - You are pregnant - You have a history of contact lens wear Talk to your doctor to see if this trial is right for you.