Corneal Biomechanical Evaluation After Conventional Corneal Crosslinking With Oxygen Enrichment

Purpose: To assess corneal biomechanical changes after conventional corneal crosslinking (CXL), with and without oxygen enrichment. Methods: Sixty fresh porcine corneas were randomly divided into group 1 (control), group 2 (conventional CXL), and group 3 (conventional CXL in a high-oxygen environment during ultraviolet A [UVA] irradiation). After crosslinking, a 5-mm wide corneal strip was extracted using a double-bladed knife from 12 to 6'o clock. The Young's modulus of each strip was determined by stress–strain measurements. A comparison between the three groups was performed with a one-way analysis of variance. Results: At 4% strain, the Young's modulus of the corneas in groups 1, 2, and 3 were: 0.68±0.20 megapascal (MPa), 1.01±0.23 MPa, and 1.12±0.24 MPa, respectively. The Young's modulus values for groups 2 and 3 showed no statistical significance (P>0.05), However, both groups 2 and 3 were significantly higher than group 1 (P
Source: Eye and Contact Lens: Science and Clinical Practice - Category: Opthalmology Tags: Article Source Type: research