Study of the effects of rabbit scleral fibroblasts on cellular biomechanical properties and MMP-2 expression using two modes of riboflavin/ultraviolet A wave collagen cross-linking

•The Riboflavin-UVA scleral CXL conducted in two different modes both caused no significant side-effects on the retina, so both modes showed relatively high safety.•Compared with the control group, both illumination modes could increase cell biomechanical properties of scleral fibroblasts significantly. But no significant difference was showed between the two CXL groups.•Two irradiation modes could both significantly increased the MMP-2 expression in sclera fibroblasts.