title: Techniques for stiffening the cornea.
abstract: In keratoconus, corneal stiffness is decreased. The purposes of this study were to search for techniques to stiffen the cornea and to determine a dose-response relation. The stiffness of collagenous tissues can be increased by cross-linking. Cross-linking techniques--riboflavin and ultraviolet irradiation (365 nm, 2 mW/cm2, 45 min), glutaraldehyde of low concentration, and several aldehyde sugars--were tested on corneas of enucleated porcine eyes. The stress-strain relation was measured and compared to untreated corneas. Aldehyde sugars produced cross-links by nonenzymatic glycation only after a prolonged time (realized in diabetics). Riboflavin and UV seems to be a promising technique to stabilize the cornea by artificial cross-linking.
authors.affiliation: University Eye Clinic, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spoerl
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seiler
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003315:Cornea / Q000737:chemistry; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005976:Glutaral / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000628:therapy*; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D009005:Monosaccharides; D005976:Glutaral; D012256:Riboflavin