Posters

Corneal endothelial cell change after collagen cross-linking for keratoconus

Poster Details

First Author: M.Ghoreishi IRAN

Co Author(s):    H. Razmjoo   Z. Mohamadi   A. Peyman        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate effect of cornea collagen crosslinking (CXL) for keratoconus on corneal endothelial cells.

Setting:

Eye research center, Feiz hospital, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Methods:

In a prospective design, 68 eyes of 42 patients with keratoconus included in this study. All subjects underwent CXL in a single center. Keratoconus confirmed by Pentacam Scheimpflug corneal topography system. Cornea epithelium totally removed in a diameter of 9mm, cornea impregnated with riboflavin, and irradiated with UV 18mW/cm2 for 5 minutes. We used hypo-osmolar riboflavin drops in corneas with thickness less than 400 µm. A non-contact specular microscope (Tomey EM-3000, Japan) used to evaluate cornea endothelial cells before and 1 year after CXL.

Results:

The mean +/- SD of preoperative and postoperative pachymetry values were 470 +/- 40 µm and 469.8 +/- 42 µm, respectively (P-value = 0.591). Preoperative and postoperative endothelial cell densities were 2753 +/- 230 cells/mm2 and 2699 +/- 210 cells/mm2, respectively (P-value = 0.004). The reduction of endothelial cell density was statistically significant. We were not able to find any significant differences in cells pleomorphism before and after surgery (P-value = 0.517). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that reduction of endothelial cell density was unexpectedly less in corneas with thickness of less than 400 µm compared to the corneas with thickness of more than 450 µm.

Conclusions:

Cornea collagen crosslinking may decrease corneal endothelial cell density. Decrease in endothelial cell count is not prominent in thin corneas. FINANCIAL INTEREST: NONE