title: [Therapeutic effect of corneal cross-linking on symptomatic bullous keratopathy].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the corneal cross-linking (CXL) effect on symptomatic bullous keratopathy, and its impact on the visual acuity, corneal thickness and pain symptomatology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients with symptomatic bullous keratophaty were included. A clinical examination with a specific questionnaire (pain scale-visual numeric analog scale), visual acuity, and corneal thickness measures was performed before corneal cross-linking and 7, 30 and 60 days after the procedure. In all patients, the treatment with the UVA-crosslinking was done after corneal abrasion on the slit-lamp and instillation of 0.1% riboflavin in saline for every five minutes, lasting 30 minutes. Subsequently, the patient underwent the UVA light exposure, using riboflavin and topical anesthesia, every five minutes lasting 30 minutes. The patient received 0.3% ofloxacine drops, and artificial tears until complete reepithelization. The Friedman test was used to compare the means of frequencies of visual acuity, pain symptoms and corneal thickness. A 'p' value<0.05 was considered for rejecting the null hypothesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twelve eyes from 12 patients with recurrent epithelium erosions were treated. The mean follow-up was two months. Significant pain reduction was observed (p<0.001). Corneal thickness and visual acuity measurements presented with no significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The potential use of cross-linking in the treatment of bullous keratopathy pain was proved to be likely. A longer follow-up to confirm whether these results can be reproduced in the long term is necessary.
authors.affiliation: Fundação Altino Ventura, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: Diego Nery Benevides
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Gadelha
authors.forename: Bernardo Menelau
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Cavalcanti
authors.forename: Vasco
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bravo Filho
authors.forename: Newton
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Andrade Júnior
authors.forename: Neylane Nyéria Coelho
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: Ana Cecília de Sousa Leão
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Escarião
authors.forename: Roberta Ventura
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Urbano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D019781:Corneal Topography; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D012256:Riboflavin