Accelerated Corneal Cross-linking Treatment in Keratoconus Patients: Three-Years Results

Objective: To evaluate the three-year results of accelerated corneal collagen crosslinking treatment in keratoconus patients. Material and Methods: Fifty eyes of 50 keratoconus patients were retrospectively reviewed. An accelerated corneal crosslinking treatment procedure was performed on the patients who exposed 9 mW/cm2 irradiance ultraviolet-A with riboflavin for 10 minutes. All cases were evaluated with best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), topographic, tomographic, and topometric parameters, along with corneal densitometry, using the Scheimpflug imaging system (Pentacam® HR, Oculus Inc., Wetzlar, Germany) preoperatively and postoperatively at the sixth month and first, second, and third years. Results: The mean age of the patients was 21.7±5.1 years. BCVA was statistically significantly improved at the sixth month and first, second, and third years when compared to preoperative values (p<0.001, for all). Anterior Kmax values decreased statistically significantly at the postoperative first, second, and third years (p<0.001, for all). The thinnest corneal thickness decreased statistically significantly at the sixth month and first, second, and third years when compared to preoperative values (p<0.001, for all). Anterior elevation values decreased statistically significantly at the sixth month and first, second, and third years when compared to preoperative values (p<0.001, for all). No significant corneal densitometric change was found on the 10-12 mm zone at all layers (p>0.05, for all). The mean vertical coma, spherical aberration, high-order aberration, and total corneal aberration values were significantly decreased at the first, second, and third years when compared to preoperative values (p<0.05, for all). Conclusion: Accelerated corneal crosslinking treatment reduces the risk of keratoconus progression and provides visual, topographic, and aberrometric improvement in some patients. Therefore, accelerated corneal crosslinking treatment is an effective treatment method to prevent progression in progressive keratoconus patients.