Intraoperative corneal thickness measurements during corneal collagen cross-linking with isotonic riboflavin solution without dextran in corneal ectasia.

UNLABELLED: Abstract

Objective

To monitor the changes in corneal thickness during the corneal collagen cross-linking procedure by using isotonic riboflavin solution without dextran in ectatic corneal diseases.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The corneal thickness measurements were obtained before epithelial removal, after epithelial removal, following the instillation of isotonic riboflavin solution without dextran for 30 min, and after 10 min of ultraviolet A irradiation.

RESULTS

Eleven eyes of eleven patients with progressive keratoconus (n = 10) and iatrogenic corneal ectasia (n = 1) were included in this study. The mean thinnest pachymetric measurements were 391.82 ± 30.34 µm (320-434 µm) after de-epithelialization of the cornea, 435 ± 21.17 µm (402-472 µm) following 30 min instillation of isotonic riboflavin solution without dextran and 431.73 ± 20.64 µm (387-461 µm) following 10 min of ultraviolet A irradiation to the cornea.

CONCLUSION

Performing corneal cross-linking procedure with isotonic riboflavin solution without dextran might not induce corneal thinning but a little swelling throughout the procedure.