Goal: To estimate corneal cross-linking (CXL) in keratoconus not only as a treatment to heal and increase the corneal stability then to consider it as a refractive procedure. Methods: 28 eyes of 22 patients with progressive keratokonus were enrolled in prospective comparative study. Average follow up was 9 +- 2 months (range 5 to 12 months). Results: 6 months later uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 0,2 ( range 0,1 -0,5) and was significant higher to UCVA one month after the operation but not different to the results of UCVA before the CXL and three months later. The visual acuity with spectacles or hard contact lenses (BCVA) 6 months after CXL was 0,8 (range 0,57 -1,0) and was extremely higher then before the intervention ( p= 0,003), one month after CXL ( p= 0,001) and significantly higher three months later (p=0,011). Conclusion: the CXL shows evident reduction in spherical equivalent refraction, cylinder and max K.
Key words: cornea, collagen, keratoconus, riboflavin, ultraviolet radiation.
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