Excessive Corneal Flattening and Thinning After Corneal Cross-linking: Single-Case Report With 5-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To present a case of significant progressive corneal flattening and thinning after corneal cross-linking (CXL), with 5 years of follow-up.

METHODS

Case report.

RESULTS

A 23-year-old woman presented with bilateral progressive keratoconus and received CXL treatment (Dresden protocol) for both eyes in March 2009. The patient has demonstrated gradual significant corneal thinning (from a preoperative value of 464 μm to 243 μm) and progressive flattening (+11.1-diopter change in spherical equivalent) in her right eye, over a 5-year period. The fellow eye remained stable during the same postoperative period.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first case report of significant progressive corneal flattening and thinning after undergoing CXL treatment for progressive keratoconus.