A., A., A., A., S., A. (2024). VISUAL OUTCOME OF SIMULTANEOUS PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY AND CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS LINKING (PRK CXL) IN KERATOCONUS SUSPECTS. Egyptian Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology, 7(2), 117-123. doi: 10.21608/ejco.2024.404122
Ahmed, A.; Alaskary, A.; Ahmed, S.. "VISUAL OUTCOME OF SIMULTANEOUS PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY AND CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS LINKING (PRK CXL) IN KERATOCONUS SUSPECTS". Egyptian Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology, 7, 2, 2024, 117-123. doi: 10.21608/ejco.2024.404122
A., A., A., A., S., A. (2024). 'VISUAL OUTCOME OF SIMULTANEOUS PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY AND CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS LINKING (PRK CXL) IN KERATOCONUS SUSPECTS', Egyptian Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology, 7(2), pp. 117-123. doi: 10.21608/ejco.2024.404122
A., A., A., A., S., A. VISUAL OUTCOME OF SIMULTANEOUS PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY AND CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS LINKING (PRK CXL) IN KERATOCONUS SUSPECTS. Egyptian Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology, 2024; 7(2): 117-123. doi: 10.21608/ejco.2024.404122
VISUAL OUTCOME OF SIMULTANEOUS PHOTOREFRACTIVE KERATECTOMY AND CORNEAL COLLAGEN CROSS LINKING (PRK CXL) IN KERATOCONUS SUSPECTS
Ophthalmology dept., Faculty of Medicine, AL-Azhar Univ., Assiut, Egypt
Abstract
Background: Keratoconus is a progressive ectatic condition that is non-inflammatory, bilateral, and characterized by apical bulging and central corneal thinning. Aim: To evaluate simultaneous photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) and the visual outcomes of corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in eyes with suspected keratoconus. Patients and methods: This was a prospective, interventional, nonrandomized research of 30 eyes performed in the ophthalmology department of Al Azhar University (Assiut) and El Nahar Eye Centre in Assiut. Results: The mean values of UCVA, BCVA, manifest spherical, and cylinder significantly decreased after three and six months, respectively, with a p-value of less than 0.001. After 3 months, dry eye was documented in 16.67% of eyes, decreasing to 6.67% after 6 months. Mild corneal haze was reported in 13.333% of eyes after three months, with no cases after 6 months. Throughout the follow-up duration, a significant decrease was observed in keratometric astigmatism, keratometric "Steep", keratometric "Flat", Steepest Keratometric "Kmax", spherical equivalent refraction, CT at the thinnest location, and back elevation, with a p-value of 0.001. Conclusion: The combination of a customized CXL (accelerated protocol) and a pho-torefractive procedure (PRK) led to a persistent flattening impact and a significant regularization of keratoconic corneas, as well as an enhancement in BCVA over a six-month follow-up.