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Long-term results on Epithelium: on customized corneal collagen cross-linking for keratoconus

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First Author: G.Sidiropoulos GREECE

Co Author(s):    S. Koronis   A. Rasoglou   E. Siskou   M. Balidis   -. -        

Abstract Details

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results of epithelium-on, oxygen-boosted, customized corneal collagen cross-linking (customized remodeled vision – CuRV) 12 months after the operation.

Setting:

All patients were treated in Ophthalmica Eye Institute, Thessaloniki, Greece between 05/2018 and 05/2019.

Methods:

This study includes 29 eyes of 24 patients diagnosed with keratoconus. CuRV is a novel cross-linking protocol which enables topographically guided cross-linking using higher energy at the apex of the cone, while keeping the epithelium intact. Visual acuity was examined and corneal topography was performed on all eyes preoperatively. Each eye was scheduled for follow-up examination at the 1st, 3rd, 6th and 12th postoperative month, with a repeat of visual acuity examination, corneal topography and anterior optical coherence tomography scans. We will report changes in best spectacle corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), K values, anterior and posterior elevation and demarcation line.

Results:

At the time of writing, 26 eyes have completed 6 months of follow-up and 9 eyes have reached the 12th. Nine eyes have lost one follow-up examination, but returned for the following. Our results so far show significant increase in BSCVA at the 6th month of follow-up as compared to baseline (BSCVA difference median, IQR: -0.08, 0.1 in logMAR units; p< 0.001) as well as significant reduction of K values (Kmean difference median, IQR: -0.5, 1.1 D; p< 0.001, Kmax difference median, IQR: -0.9, 0.9 D; p< 0.001). The mean demarcation line depth at the 1st postoperative month was 344±60.8 μm, or a median 75.6% of the corneal thickness at the same OCT scan.

Conclusions:

CuRV appears very promising in combining the cross-linking effect with topographical improvement directly at the affected parts of the cornea, while at the same time minimizing patient discomfort by keeping the epithelium intact. Complete results of the study will be gathered when all patients complete the 12th month follow-up, by 05/2020 and will be announced at the date of the event.

Financial Disclosure:

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