Corneal cross-linking.

Randleman JB; Khandelwal SS; Hafezi F

doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2015.04.002

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Journal article

Corneal cross-linking.

Randleman JB Department of Ophthalmology, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Emory Vision, Emory Eye Center, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Electronic address: jrandle@emory.edu.
Khandelwal SS Baylor College of Medicine, Cullen Eye Institute, Houston, Texas, USA.
Hafezi F ELZA Institute, Zurich, Switzerland; Laboratory for Ocular Cell Biology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Ophthalmology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA; Center for Applied Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine (CABMM), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

2015-05-19

Published in:

Survey of ophthalmology. - 2015

English Since its inception in the late 1990s, corneal cross-linking has grown from an interesting concept to a primary treatment for corneal ectatic disease worldwide. Using a combination of ultraviolet-A light and a chromophore (vitamin B2, riboflavin), the cornea can be stiffened, usually with a single application, and progressive thinning diseases such as keratoconus arrested. Despite being in clinical use for many years, some of the underlying processes, such as the role of oxygen and the optimal treatment times, are still being worked out. More than a treatment technique, corneal cross-links represent a physiological principle of connective tissue, which may explain the enormous versatility of the method. We highlight the history of corneal cross-linking, the scientific underpinnings of current techniques, evolving clinical treatment parameters, and the use of cross-linking in combination with refractive surgery and for the treatment of infectious keratitis.

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