TECLens debuted its investigational quantitative corneal cross-linking technology (qCXL™) in the United States after being featured as a Showcase Innovator at the Innovators Pop-Up during the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Annual Meeting in October 2025. The national debut of qCXL™ builds on years of translational research and clinical leadership by Roy S. Chuck, MD, PhD, Chairman of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Montefiore Einstein and Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

As a co-founder and medical advisor for TECLens, Dr. Chuck has played a central role in shaping the scientific and clinical foundation of the technology. He served as senior author on the first-in-human pilot study evaluating the feasibility of a novel ultraviolet light-emitting contact lens device for transepithelial corneal cross-linking (CXL), published in Translational Vision Science & Technology in 2021. That study demonstrated the feasibility of a novel on-eye, epithelium-on corneal cross-linking approach for the treatment of keratoconus. It indicated that the CXLens® ultraviolet A (UVA) light-emitting contact lens device was ready for larger-scale studies with longer follow-up. The findings further suggested the potential for an efficient, high-throughput transepithelial corneal cross-linking platform.

Keratoconus is a progressive corneal disorder characterized by thinning and biomechanical weakening of the cornea, often resulting in irregular astigmatism and significant visual impairment. If left untreated, disease progression can lead to substantial vision loss and, in advanced cases, the need for corneal transplantation, an invasive surgical intervention associated with prolonged recovery and variable long-term outcomes.

Corneal cross-linking is a combined drug-and-device therapy that involves administration of riboflavin (vitamin B2) followed by controlled exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light to strengthen corneal collagen and slow disease progression. The first U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved corneal cross-linking system received approval in 2016 for the treatment of progressive keratoconus and post-laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) ectasia. While CXL has become the standard of care for many patients with progressive disease, conventional approaches often require removal of the corneal epithelium, a step that can be associated with postoperative pain, increased infection risk and prolonged healing.

In contrast, the investigational TECLens technology is designed to deliver patterned UV light therapy through a proprietary on-eye, UVA light-emitting contact lens, enabling a transepithelial (“epithelium-on”) approach with controlled dosing while preserving the protective epithelial layer. Together, these design features are intended to support a treatment approach that prioritizes patient comfort and procedural tolerability and may allow for bilateral treatment in a single session.

There are currently two active out-of-U.S. (OUS) Phase 1 clinical studies evaluating the investigational TECLens corneal cross-linking system for the correction of refractive error in presbyopia-aged patients (NCT07208604, NCT07137767). In February 2025, TECLens also secured $9.3 million in Series A funding to support the continued clinical development of its investigational, noninvasive corneal cross-linking technology.

Dr. Chuck’s research Laboratory and affiliations continue to provide Montefiore Einstein ophthalmology residents and medical students with early exposure to translational research, spanning discovery, device development and clinical investigation. This work underscores Montefiore Einstein’s continued commitment to advancing ophthalmic innovation that bridges research, education and clinical care, translating scientific discovery into clinically meaningful solutions to improve patient outcomes.