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Outcomes after corneal crosslinking treatment in paediatric patients with keratoconus

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine the efficacy and safety of accelerated corneal crosslinking in children with keratoconus.

Methods

The study enrolled 64 patients aged 16 years or younger, each contributing one eye for a total of 64 eyes for analysis. Participants underwent an accelerated form of corneal cross-linking with 15 min of ultraviolet A irradiation at a rate of 7 mW/cm2, resulting in a cumulative energy dose of 5.4 J/cm2. The primary outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and corneal tomography at 6 and 12 months post-intervention. Parameters assessed included BCVA, spherical and cylindrical refraction, keratometry (K1 and K2), maximum keratometry (Kmax) and thinnest corneal thickness (TCT). These metrics were documented preoperatively and then again at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. In addition, any ocular or systemic conditions related to keratoconus were recorded for each participant.

Results

The results showed an improvement in BCVA at 12 months after surgery. K1 showed a decrease at both post-operative follow-ups while K2 remained constant throughout the observation period. Kmax showed a notable decrease at the 12 month postoperative follow-up. Although the TCT showed an initial decrease, it reached a stable state after 12 months of crosslinking. Refractive values remained stable at all subsequent examinations. Notably, no complications such as corneal opacity, non-healing epithelial defects or corneal infections occurred during the follow-up period. The most common ocular comorbidity was allergic conjunctivitis (34.4%).

Conclusion

The findings suggest that accelerated corneal crosslinking treatment is effective in slowing or halting the progression of keratoconus. Furthermore, there were no persistent overt complications observed at 12 months after the procedure.

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Funding

We declare: We have no financial relationship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology, Inonu University School of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey

    Cem Cankaya & Nur Gungor

Authors
  1. Cem Cankaya
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  2. Nur Gungor
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation and data collection were performed by NG. Data analysis was performed by CC. The first draft of the manuscript was written by CC, and all authors commented on previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the fnal manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cem Cankaya.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. The authors have no proprietary or financial interest in any products used in this study.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in the study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from the parents of all individual participants included in the study.

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Cite this article

Cankaya, C., Gungor, N. Outcomes after corneal crosslinking treatment in paediatric patients with keratoconus. Int Ophthalmol 44, 56 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-024-02996-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-024-02996-z

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