Corneal Biomechanical Changes after Corneal Cross-Linking in Patients with Keratoconus

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Biomechanical Engineering
• Corneal Science

Background:

• Keratoconus is a progressive thinning disorder of the cornea.
• Corneal cross-linking (CXL) is a standard treatment to halt keratoconus progression.
• Assessing CXL efficacy through corneal biomechanics is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate changes in corneal biomechanical properties after CXL in keratoconus patients.
• To assess the utility of the Corvis ST device in detecting CXL-induced biomechanical changes.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study included 37 eyes of keratoconus patients.
• Corvis ST was used to record biomechanical parameters at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year post-CXL.
• Key parameters measured included applanated cornea length, corneal movement velocity, deformation amplitude, and radius of curvature.

Main Results:

• Most Corvis ST parameters (L1, DA, PD, R) showed no significant changes post-CXL.
• Applanated cornea length (L2) changed at 3 months but stabilized by 1 year.
• Corneal movement velocity (V1, V2) showed significant changes only at 1 year post-CXL.

Conclusions:

• The Corvis ST device detects some, but not all, biomechanical changes after CXL in keratoconus.
• Many corneal biomechanical parameters remain unchanged, limiting the device's ability to fully assess CXL effects.
• Further investigation is needed to refine biomechanical assessment of CXL treatment efficacy.