Effect of Epi-Off Technique Corneal CXL On Endothelial Count by Specular Microscopy in Keratoconus Patients

Heba Allah Nashaat Mohamed

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Keratoconus, Collagen

Treatments: Device: Specular microscopy

Study type: Observational

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05717673

EOEOCXLOEnCBsMK

Details and patient eligibility

About

Determine safety of EPi-off CXL on corneal endothelium by using specular specular microscopy to assess endothelial count.

Full description

Specular microscopy is a noninvasive photographic technique that analyze the corneal endothelium. Using computer-assisted morphometry, modern specular microscopes analyze the size, shape and population of the endothelial cells. The instrument projects light onto the cornea and captures the image that is reflected from the optical interface between the corneal endothelium and the aqueous humor. The reflected image is analyzed by the instrument and displayed as a specular photomicrograph

Corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) is a therapeutic procedure aiming at increasing the corneal stiffness in the keratoconus eyes by induction of cross-links within the extracellular matrix. It is achieved by ultraviolet-A (370 nm) irradiation of the cornea after saturation with the photosensitizer riboflavin. In the conventional CXL protocol, a minimum (manual) de-epithelialized corneal thickness of 400 μm is recommended to avoid potential irradiation damage to the corneal endothelium. In advanced keratoconus, however, stromal thickness is often lower than 400 μm, which limits the application of CXL in that category. Efforts have been undertaken to modify the conventional CXL procedure to be applicable in thin corneas. The current review discusses different techniques employed to achieve this end and their results. The overall safety and efficacy of the modified CXL protocols are good, as most of them managed to halt the progression of keratectasia without postoperative complications. However, the evidence of safety and efficacy in the use of modified CXL protocols is still limited to few studies with few patients involved. Controlled studies with long-term follow-up are required to confirm the safety and efficacy of it.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 10 to 75 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients with corneal diseases that treated by collagen cross linking such as keratokonus and post lasic ectesia with corneal thickness above 400um at its thinnest location.

Exclusion criteria

1. Prior herpetic infection
2. Autoimmune disorders
3. corneal thickness below 400um at its thinnest location
4. Corneal opacity