Long term results of accelerated 9mW corneal crosslinking for early progressive keratoconus:the Siena Eye-Cross Study 2

Purpose:To assess clinical results of the 9 mW/5.4 J/cm^(2) accelerated crosslinking(ACXL)in the treatment of progressive keratoconus(KC)over a span of 5 years.Methods:The prospective open non-randomized interventional study(Siena Eye-Cross Study 2)included 156 eyes of 112 patients with early progressive KC undergoing the Epi-Off 9 mW/5.4 J/cm^(2) ACXL at the Siena Crosslinking Centre,Italy.The mean age was 18.05±5.6 years.The 20-min treatments were performed using the New KXL I(Avedro,Waltham,USA),10 min of 0.1%HPMC Riboflavin soaking(VibeX Rapid,Avedro,Waltham,USA)and 10 min of continuous-light UV-A irradiation.Uncorrected distance visual acuity(UDVA),corrected distance visual acuity(CDVA),Kmax,coma,minimum corneal thickness(MCT),surface asymmetry index(SAI),endothelial cell count(ECC)were measured,and corneal OCT performed.Results:UDVA and CDVA improved significantly at the 3rd(P=0.028),Δ+0.17 Snellen lines and 6th postoperative month,respectively(P<0.001),Δ+0.23 Snellen lines.Kmax improved at the 6th postoperative month(P=0.03),Δ−1.49 diopters from the baseline value.Also,coma aberration value improved significantly(P=0.004).A mild temporary haze was recorded in 14.77%of patients without affecting visual acuity and without persistent complications.Corneal OCT revealed a mean demarcation line depth at 332.6±33.6μm.Conclusion:The 5-year results of Epi-Off 9 mW/5.4 J/cm^(2) ACXL demonstrated statistically significant improvements in UCVA and CDVA,corneal curvature and corneal higher-order aberrations which confers a long-term stability for progressive ectasia.Based on the results of the Siena Eye-Cross Study 2,the 9 mW/5.4 J/cm^(2) ACXL is a candidate to be the natural evolution of Epi-Off CXL treatment for the management of early progressive corneal ectasia,and thus optimize clinic workflow.

In vivo confocal microscopy: qualitative investigation of the conjunctival and corneal surface in open angle glaucomatous patients undergoing the XEN-Gel implant, trabeculectomy or medical therapy

Purpose:Assessing the quality of the ocular surface by in vivo scanning laser confocal microscopy(IVCM)in primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)patients treated by Xen 45 Gel Stent,medical therapy and trabeculectomy.Methods:Retrospective,single-center,single-masked,comparative study including 60 eyes of 30 patients(mean age 61.16±10 years)affected by POAG.Eyes were divided into 3 groups:Group 1 eyes underwent the Xen 45 Gel Stent procedure,Group 2 eyes were under medical therapy,Group 3 eyes were surgically treated by trabeculectomy.All patients underwent HRT II IVCM analysis of cornea,limbus,conjunctiva,sub-tenionian space and sclera.Results:The Xen 45 Gel stent,if properly positioned in the sub-conjunctival space preserves goblet cells and limits ocular surface inflammation.Regular corneal epithelial cells with micro-cysts,and normo-reflective sub-epithelial nerve plexus are documented by IVCM.In sub Tenon’s implants an alternative lamellar intra-scleral filtration is detectable.Combined surgical procedures show a noticeable number of inflammatory cells with rare micro-cysts.Post-trabeculectomy inflammatory reaction is more evident than Xen 45 Gel Stent associated surgical procedures,but less than medical therapy where a conspicuous presence of Langerhans cells,peri-neural infiltrates,marked loss of goblet cells and fibrosis is visible.Conclusion:Ocular surface inflammation was more notable in topical therapy than after trabeculectomy,which itself causes more inflammation than XEN Gel stents.

In vivo confocal microscopy:qualitative investigation of the conjunctival and corneal surface in open-angle glaucomatous patients undergoing the XEN-Gel implant,trabeculectomy or medical therapy

Purpose:Assessing the quality of the ocular surface by in vivo scanning laser confocal microscopy(IVCM)in primary open-angle glaucoma(POAG)patients treated by XEN 45 Gel Stent,medical therapy and trabeculectomy.Methods:Retrospective,single-center,single-masked,comparative study including 60 eyes of 30 patients(mean age 61.16±10 years)affected by POAG.Eyes were divided into 3 groups:Group 1 eyes underwent the XEN 45 Gel Stent procedure,Group 2 eyes^were under medical therapy,Group 3 eyes were surgically treated by trabeculectomy.All patients underwent HRTII IVCM analysis of cornea,limbus,conjunctiva,sub-tenionian space and sclera.Results:The XEN 45 Gel Stent,if properly positioned in the sub-conjunctival space preserves goblet cells and limits ocular surface inflammation.Regular corneal epithelial cells with microcysts,and normo-reflective sub-epithelial nerve plexus are documented by IVCM.In sub Tenon's implants an alternative lamellar intra-scleral filtration is detectable.Combined surgical procedures show a noticeable number of inflammatory cells with rare microcysts.Post-trabeculectomy inflammatory reaction is more evident than XEN 45 Gel Stent associated surgical procedures,but less than medical therapy where a conspicuous presence of Langerhans cells,peri-neural infiltrates,marked loss of goblet cells and fibrosis is visible.Conclusion:Ocular surface inflammation was more notable in topical therapy than after trabeculectomy,which itself causes more inflammation than XEN Gel Stents.