Corneal crosslinking (Crosslinking, CXL) is a treatment offered for the stabilization of early corneal ectatic disorders such as keratoconus. Although CXL is an excellent treatment option to stabilize early ectatic corneas, complications include corneal haze, sterile infiltrate, endothelial cell toxicity, treatment failure and stromal scarring. Corneal haze is a common finding in almost all CXL patients and may decrease visual quality. The effect of 0.02% mitomycin C (MMC) for 2 minutes on corneal haze and scarring in refractive surgery is well established in the literature with many clinical studies confirming its effectiveness. Although the pattern of corneal haze after CXL appears to be different from the haze pattern seen following refractive procedures, both processes are thought to be caused by an inflammatory response. The investigators postulate that MMC can reduce post-CXL haze and scars when using the optimal concentration and duration of exposure.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
TRIPLE
Enrollment
4
Topical application of 0.02% MMC on the surface of the cornea post CXL. The surface of the eye is washed thoroughly with Balanced Salt Solution (BSS) over 1 minute after MMC application.
Topical application of placebo on the surface of the cornea post CXL. The surface of the eye is washed thoroughly with Balanced Salt Solution (BSS) over 1 minute after placebo application.
Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Corneal haze/scarring
Corneal haze or scarring will be measured by densitometry. Densitometry values obtained from Scheimpflug images (software 70722, Pentacam HR, Oculus, Germany) will inform backward light scattered reflected by the cornea and therefore reflect the amount of stromal haze, and expressed as grayscale units (GSU), defining the backscattered light in a 0 to 100 scale in concentric zones. A 6mm central zone will be used for the analysis and compartmentalized in: anterior 160 microns depth (epithelium, bowman and anterior stroma), posterior 60 microns depth (endothelium, Descemet and posterior stroma) and the layer in between.
Time frame: 1 month post-operation
Corneal haze/scarring
Corneal haze or scarring will be measured by densitometry. Densitometry values obtained from Scheimpflug images (software 70722, Pentacam HR, Oculus, Germany) will inform backward light scattered reflected by the cornea and therefore reflect the amount of stromal haze, and expressed as grayscale units (GSU), defining the backscattered light in a 0 to 100 scale in concentric zones. A 6mm central zone will be used for the analysis and compartmentalized in: anterior 160 microns depth (epithelium, bowman and anterior stroma), posterior 60 microns depth (endothelium, Descemet and posterior stroma) and the layer in between.
Time frame: 3 months post-operation
Corneal haze/scarring
Corneal haze or scarring will be measured by densitometry. Densitometry values obtained from Scheimpflug images (software 70722, Pentacam HR, Oculus, Germany) will inform backward light scattered reflected by the cornea and therefore reflect the amount of stromal haze, and expressed as grayscale units (GSU), defining the backscattered light in a 0 to 100 scale in concentric zones. A 6mm central zone will be used for the analysis and compartmentalized in: anterior 160 microns depth (epithelium, bowman and anterior stroma), posterior 60 microns depth (endothelium, Descemet and posterior stroma) and the layer in between.
Time frame: 6 months post-operation
Corneal haze/scarring
Corneal haze or scarring will be measured by densitometry. Densitometry values obtained from Scheimpflug images (software 70722, Pentacam HR, Oculus, Germany) will inform backward light scattered reflected by the cornea and therefore reflect the amount of stromal haze, and expressed as grayscale units (GSU), defining the backscattered light in a 0 to 100 scale in concentric zones. A 6mm central zone will be used for the analysis and compartmentalized in: anterior 160 microns depth (epithelium, bowman and anterior stroma), posterior 60 microns depth (endothelium, Descemet and posterior stroma) and the layer in between.
Time frame: 12 months post-operation
Corneal haze/scarring
Corneal haze or scarring will be measured by densitometry. Densitometry values obtained from Scheimpflug images (software 70722, Pentacam HR, Oculus, Germany) will inform backward light scattered reflected by the cornea and therefore reflect the amount of stromal haze, and expressed as grayscale units (GSU), defining the backscattered light in a 0 to 100 scale in concentric zones. A 6mm central zone will be used for the analysis and compartmentalized in: anterior 160 microns depth (epithelium, bowman and anterior stroma), posterior 60 microns depth (endothelium, Descemet and posterior stroma) and the layer in between.
Time frame: 18 months post-operation
Clinical haze grade
Using slit lamp exam as established in the literature on a scale (the slit lamp clinical haze/scar density grade) ranging from 0 (minimum value) to 4 (maximum value); which means the higher the score, the worse the stromal haze/density is.
Time frame: 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months post-operation.
Glare
This will be measured in the treated eye and reported as the logarithm of the straylight parameter.
Time frame: 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months post-operation.
Higher-order aberrations
Higher-order aberrations (OPDScan wavefront analyzer, Gamagori, Japan) will be expressed as Zernike polynomials through the sixth order over a 6 mm diameter optical zone. HOA will allow further assessment of the optical quality of the eye.
Time frame: 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months post-operation.
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