Corneal Cross-Linking for Progressive Keratoconus in Children: Our Experience

Purpose: To assess the effect of corneal cross-linking on progressive keratoconus in children. Method: In this retrospective study we enrolled nine eyes of nine consecutive children aged 11 to 17 years old who underwent corneal riboflavin-UVA induced cross-linking for progressive keratoconus at the Department of Ophthalmology at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center. They were followed for 6 to 24 months (average 16 ± 8.1 months). Evaluated parameters were uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), manifest refraction, pachymetry, slit lamp examination and corneal topography. Results: Cross-linking resulted in stability of visual acuity in seven of the nine (77.8%) treated eyes. We found a nonsignificant improvement in UCVA and BSCVA with a small reduction of manifest cylinder. Furthermore, there was an improvement in spherical equivalent that was close to statistical significance (p = 0.07). There was 0.86 D reduction of average Kmax value postoperatively (p = 0.36). Most patients (7 of 9, 77.8%) showed a long-term stability or reduction in Kmax. Conclusion: In this study, we demonstrated the efficacy of corneal cross-linking in arresting the progression of keratoconus in children. We believe that larger scale studies in this age group should be performed to further establish the relevance of this technique in children.