Efficacy of single or paired intrastromal corneal ring segment implantation combined with collagen crosslinking in keratoconus.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of single or paired intrastromal corneal ring segments (ICRS) combined with ultraviolet-A and riboflavin collagen crosslinking (CXL) in patients with keratoconus.

Methods: Cornea Unit, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Methods: Retrospective comparative case series. Methods: Consecutive patients with keratoconus had femtosecond laser-assisted ICRS implantation combined with same-day CXL between 2008 and 2011. The main outcome measures included improvement in visual acuity, subjective refractive error, keratometry values, and total higher-order aberration (HOA).

Results: Eighty-five eyes of 74 patients with keratoconus (paired ICRS: 47 eyes of 40 patients; single ICRS: 38 eyes of 34 patients) were included in the study. The uncorrected distance visual acuity was significantly improved after single ICRS (3.4 lines; P=.04) and paired ICRS (2.7 lines; P=.01) implantation combined with CXL, while corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) remained stable. The single and paired ICRS groups had a significant reduction in mean cylinder at 1 year (single ICRS: -3.84 diopters [D] ± 1.72 [SD] versus -2.19 ± 1.54 D, P=.02; paired ICRS: -3.91 ± 1.45 D versus -2.96 ± 1.92 D) (P=.02). There was no significant difference in total HOAs. Single ICRS implantation and paired ICRS implantation with CXL were equivalent in all refractive parameters. No patient lost lines of CDVA.

Conclusions: As determined by corneal topography, implantation of single or paired ICRS combined with same-day CXL was safe and effective in patients with keratoconus.