Patient satisfaction with epithelium-off corneal crosslinking

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Ectasia Research
• Vision Science

Background:

• Corneal crosslinking (CXL) is a therapeutic option for progressive corneal ectasia.
• Assessing patient satisfaction is crucial for understanding treatment outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate patient satisfaction with corneal crosslinking (CXL).
• To determine the long-term perceived effectiveness of CXL in halting disease progression.

Main Methods:

• A prospective case series involving patients treated with Dresden protocol or accelerated epithelium-off CXL.
• An electronic survey was administered to 552 patients, with 448 (80% response rate) completing it.
• Data collected included patient demographics, diagnosis, treatment type, and perceived outcomes.

Main Results:

• 80% of invited patients completed the survey, with a median follow-up of 3.5 years.
• Comparable efficacy in halting disease progression was reported for standard and accelerated CXL (88% vs. 87%).
• Higher perceived efficacy was associated with younger treatment age and milder keratoconus.
• 41% reported vision improvement, 46% noted no change, and 14% perceived decline.
• Mean satisfaction scores were 8.8/10 for keratoconus and 7.6/10 for post-refractive surgical ectasia.

Conclusions:

• The majority of patients perceive corneal crosslinking (CXL) as effective in managing corneal ectasia.
• Perceived efficacy of CXL remains stable over a 1- to 9-year follow-up period.
• Patient satisfaction is generally high, particularly for those treated for keratoconus.