COLLAGEN CROSS LINKING FOR KERATOCONUS

Course overview

KERATOCONUS (KC) IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON CORNEAL ECTASIA, CHARACTERIZED BY PROGRESSIVE, NON-INFLAMMATORY CHANGES IN CORNEAL STROMAL COLLAGEN AND MANIFESTS AS THE PROTRUSION AND ALTERATION OF THE CENTRAL AND PARACENTRAL CORNEA. THE PATHOLOGY USUALLY PROGRESSES IN THE FIRST THREE DECADES OF LIFE AND, IF NOT MANAGED ON TIME, CAN RESULT IN A DROP IN VISUAL ACUITY. THE MANAGEMENT OF KERATOCONUS IS GOVERNED BY MANY FACTORS SUCH AS AGE, STAGE OF KERATOCONUS, SCHIEMPFLUG IMAGING CHARACTERISTICS, AND VISUAL ACUITY. THE VARIOUS MANAGEMENT OPTIONS INCLUDE SPECTACLES, CONTACT LENSES, CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS-LINKING (CXL)WITH RIBOFLAVIN, INTACS, PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY, AND DEEP ANTERIOR LAMELLAR KERATOPLASTY. CXL IS A TECHNIQUE OF STRENGTHENING THE CORNEAL TISSUE BY USING RIBOFLAVIN AND ULTRAVIOLET-A LIGHT TO HALT THE PROGRESSION OF PROGRESSIVE KERATOCONUS. IN CXL, RIBOFLAVIN ACT AS A PHOTOSENSITIZING AGENT, AND UVA IMPROVES THE FORMATION OF INTRA AND INTERFIBRILLAR COVALENT BONDS BY OXIDATIVE PHOTOSENSITIZATION. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE COLLAGEN CROSS-LINKING PROCEDURE'S ROLE IN MANAGING KERATOCONUS. IT HIGHLIGHTS A NUMBER OF CLINICAL FACTORS THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN PATIENTS WHO UNDERGO COLLAGEN CROSS-LINKING.