Posters

Evaluation of epi-on corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) at 6 months and 1 year follow-up in patients diagnosed with keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia

Poster Details

First Author: W.Trattler USA

Co Author(s):    R. Rubinfeld   R. Correa   G. Perez   R. Littner   M. Korchak   S. Shetty

Abstract Details

Purpose:

Transepithelium corneal cross linking has been reported to be ineffective, which appears to be related to insufficient loading of riboflavin in the cornea. The purpose of this analysis is to determine the efficacy of Transepithelial CXL in patients with a pre-Op diagnosis of keratoconus or post-LASIK ectasia who were evaluated at the slit lamp to ensure adequate riboflavin loading before proceeding to UV light application.

Setting:

The study was conducted at a 2 separate clinics in the United States, one in Chevy Chase, Maryland, and the second in Miami, Florida

Methods:

Patients with a diagnosis of keratoconus or post-LASIK ectasia who underwent transepithelial CXL with slit lamp confirmation of adequate corneal riboflavin loading and who had a minimum follow-up of 4 months were included in the analysis. Patients with cataracts, INTACS, RK, and a diagnosis other than keratoconus and post LASIK ectasia were not included in the analysis. UCVA, BSCVA, and K Max measurements were taken and evaluated against pre-Op measurements at both 6 months follow up and 1-year follow up post-CXL.

Results:

The total number of eyes diagnosed with keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia was 390 & 71, respectively. 229 keratoconic eyes had a follow-up visit at 6 months, 49.7% & 46.6% of eyes resulted in an improvement of 1 or more lines in UCVA & BSCVA, respectively. 43 eyes with ectasia after LASIK had a follow-up visit at 6 months, 41.8% and 37.2%of eyes improved 1 or more line in UCVA and BSCVA, respectively. No change in UCVA and BSCVA was observed in 39.5% and 38.2% of keratoconic eyes; and in 44.1% and 39.5% of post-LASIK ectatic eyes, at 6 months, respectively. Average change in kmax of -0.94D and -0.12D was observed in eyes with keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia at 6- month visit, respectively. 99 keratoconic eyes had a follow-up visit at 1 year, 57.6% % 49.4% of eyes resulted in an improvement of 1 or more lines in UCVA & BSCVA, respectively. 19 post-LASIK ectatic eyes had a follow-up visit at 1 year, 55.5% and 36.8% of eyes improved 1 or more lines in UCVA and BSCVA, respectively. The average change in kmax was 0.80D and 0.60D in keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia at 1 year follow-up, respectively.

Conclusions:

Reports that Transepithelial Corneal Collagen crosslinking is ineffective appear to be related to inadequate loading of the cornea with riboflavin. In this study of transepithelial CXL, patients were examined in the slit lamp to ensure adequate loading of the riboflavin prior to proceeding with UV light application. In this study, trans-epithelial CXL appears to be both safe and effective for the treatment of eyes with a pre-Op diagnosis of keratoconus or post-LASIK ectasia. In particular, approximately 50% of eyes achieved improvement in UCVA and BSCVA, and flattening of KMax was observed. The presented results demonstrate that trans-epithelial cross linking with confirmation of adequate corneal riboflavin loading can provide an efficacy that is comparable to the epi-off Dresden protocol with reduced risk. FINANCIAL INTEREST: One of more of the authors... has significant investment interest in a company producing, developing or supplying product or procedure presented