Trans epithelial corneal collagen crosslinking for progressive keratoconus: 6 months follow up

• The biomechanical corneal properties appear to be stable in eyes that underwent transepithelial CXL.
• The axial length seems to be unmodified 6 months after transepithelial CXL treatment.
• These findings confirm the effectiveness of transepithelial CXL in patients with progressive keratoconus.

PurposeTo evaluate keratoconus biomechanical changes after transepithelial corneal collagen cross linking (TE CXL) using riboflavin and ultraviolet A (UVA).SettingSecond University of Naples, Naples, Italy.DesignProspective non comparative case series study.MethodsPatients with progressive keratoconus were examined, before and during a 6 months follow up after TE CXL, with a Pentacam, an Ocular Response Analyzer and an IOLMaster.Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refraction, corneal thinnest point (CTP), keratometry readings at the keratoconus apex (Kmax), axial eye length (AL), corneal volume (CV) anterior chamber volume (ACV), anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF) were evaluated.ResultsThirty-six eyes of 36 patients with progressive keratoconus were analyzed. Six months after treatment there was a significant improvement in BCVA (p < 0.01), no significant changes in refraction (p = 0.57), CTP (p = 0.07), Kmax (p = 0.88), AL (p = 0.07), CV (p = 0.38), ACV (p = 0.07), ACD (p = 0.7), CH (p = 0.1) and CRF (p = 0.3).ConclusionsAccording to our results TE CXL stabilizes most of the patients with progressive keratoconus, without affecting in negative way the corneal elasticity.