Photrexa Viscous and Photrexa treatment kits for corneal cross-linking for the treatment of keratoconus (a non-inflammatory eye condition in which the cornea becomes thin and weak causing irregularity of the cornea). The procedure uses the KXL system and crates new corneal collagen cross-links that result in the stiffening of the cornea, halting the progression of the disease and possibly avoiding the need for corneal transplant. It is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure that combines vitamin B2 drops and ultra-violet light.

This purchase is exempt from the usual selection processes of the Procurement Code because the procurement expenditure is for medical supplies or medical services necessary for the delivery of care and treatment at medical, dental, or veterinary teaching facilities utilized by SIU or U of I (30 ILCS 500 / 1-13(b-5)) The cross-linking procedure is a treatment option for progressive keratoconus patients of the University's Cornea Clinic. The treatment has shown to slow the progression of the disease and may reduce the need for more invasive treatment alternatives.