to evaluate changes in vision, refraction, topography, tear indices and confocal microscopy findings after corneal collagen crosslinking (CXL) in patients having progressive keratoconus.

twenty –three consecutive patients having progressive keratoconus were included in the study. The standard crosslinking surgery was performed for all patients. Visual, refractive and topographic evaluations were performed at 2 time points: preoperative and 6 months after surgery.Tear function tests and confocal microscopy were performed at 3 time points: preoperative, 1 month and 6 months after surgery.

: The study enrolled 32 eyes of 23 patients. Mean baseline K1, K2 and Kmax in pentacam topography were 50.09, 47.80 and 54.02 D, respectively; at 6 months, 49.80, 46.90 and 53.07 D, respectively, were recorded, a difference that was significant for K2 and Kmax (P<0.05). Difference in schirmer 1 test and tear osmolarity was not significant 1 and 6 months after CXL. In confocal microscopy all eyes showed reduced or absent subepithelial nerve plexus and differences in basal epithelial cell density, epithelial mean cell area and keratocyte density in anterior and middle stroma was significant 1 and 6 months after CXL (P<0.05).

Corneal crosslinking performed in keratoconus patients induced improvement in vision supported by clinical and topographic modifications. No changes in tear tests were seen. However, reduced or absent subepithelial nerve plexus was seen in all treated eyes with confocal microscopy and differences in epithelial cell density and anterior and middle stromal keratocytes were significant.