Corneal densitometry before and after corneal collagen cross-linking in patients with keratoconus

Background Keratoconus is an ectatic corneal disorder characterized by progressive corneal thinning that results in corneal protrusion, irregular astigmatism, and decreased vision. Objective To evaluate changes in corneal density following corneal cross-linking (CXL) in keratoconic patients. Patients and methods This was a prospective case series study including all patients with keratoconus (50 eyes) undergoing CXL. The number of male patients in the study was 13 (26 eyes) cases, while female patients represented 12 (24 eyes) cases; the study was conducted at the outpatient clinic of the Ophthalmology Department at Al Azhar University Hospital. Results There was no statistically significant correlation between corneal densitometry and K1, K2, K-max, or thinnest corneal thickness preoperatively. There was no statistically significant correlation between corneal densitometry and K1, K2, K-max or thinnest corneal thickness at 1 month postoperatively. There was no statistically significant correlation between corneal densitometry and K1, K-max, or thinnest corneal thickness at 3 months postoperatively. Also, the table shows that there was statistically significant positive correlation between corneal densitometry and K2 with P value of 0.037 and r=0.296. There was no statistically significant correlation between corneal densitometry and K1, K2, K-max, or thinnest corneal thickness at 6 months postoperatively. Conclusion After CXL, the Scheimpflug corneal densitometry and clinical corneal haze peaked at 1 month followed by a gradual decline reaching baseline by 6 months after operation. Corneal thinning was correlated inversely with the corneal haze at 1 month postoperatively. Lens densitometry was not affected by CXL.