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Updated: May 11, 2026

Three Different Protocols of Corneal Collagen Crosslinking in Keratoconus: Conventional, Accelerated and Iontophoresis
Published on: November 12, 2015
Evaluating the accuracy and quality of YouTube videos on corneal cross-linking
Bedia Kesimal1, Sücattin İlker Kocamış1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Dışkapı Yıldırım Beyazıt Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Clinical Relevance:
YouTube is a widely used medical information source, offering educational content on health conditions and treatments. However, its unregulated nature raises concerns about accuracy, reliability, and accessibility. Assessing online medical content quality is important to ensure that patients receive credible, evidence-based guidance.
Background:
Keratoconus is a progressive corneal disorder that can lead to visual impairment. Corneal cross-linking (CXL) is an effective treatment that strengthens the corneal structure and halts disease progression. YouTube is frequently used by patients seeking information about diseases and treatments. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and reliability of YouTube videos on CXL.
Methods:
A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on YouTube videos related to CXL. Five commonly searched keywords were identified using Google Trends, and a YouTube search was performed. Among the first 100 videos ranked by relevance, 69 met the inclusion criteria. Video characteristics, including source, content type, narrator gender, and accessibility features, were recorded. Quality and reliability were assessed using the DISCERN, Global Quality Score (GQS), and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) scoring systems. Statistical analyses examined differences in video quality based on information source and gender.
Results:
The overall quality of YouTube videos on CXL was average, with a mean DISCERN score of 42.5 ± 11.8, GQS of 3.28 ± 0.94, and JAMA score of 2.75 ± 0.68. Videos uploaded by clinicians (39.1%) and health channels (31.9%) had significantly higher quality scores than patient-uploaded videos (29%) (p < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between video popularity and quality metrics. Narrator gender had no significant effect on video quality or popularity metrics (p > 0.05).
Conclusion:
While clinician- and health channel-produced videos demonstrated higher quality, this did not translate into greater engagement, highlighting a disconnect between popularity and informational value.
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