title: Short-term Outcomes of Collagen Crosslinking for Early Keratoconus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of collagen crosslinking with riboflavin and ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation for treatment of early keratoconus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one eyes of 22 patients with early keratoconus were included in this study. All patients underwent slit lamp examination and assessment of uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), intraocular pressure, corneal topography and pachymetry. Collagen crosslinking was performed without epithelial removal. Riboflavin was applied to the cornea every 3 minutes 30 minutes before UVA irradiation and every 5 minutes thereafter. Patients were re-assessed 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postoperatively, UCVA increased by 2 Snellen lines and BSCVA was improved by 1.7 Snellen lines (P < 0.001). Spherical equivalent refractive error was reduced by 0.55 D, and maximum and mean K values were decreased by 0.65 D and 0.51 D respectively (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Evidence of regression was present in 71% of treated eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Collagen crosslinking demonstrated significant improvement in vision with reduction in corneal power and spherical equivalent refractive error in eyes with early keratoconus.
authors.affiliation: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Akbar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Derakhshan
authors.forename: Javad Heravian
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Shandiz
authors.forename: Masumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahadi
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Daneshvar
authors.forename: Habibollah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Esmaily