Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of pain relief of the corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) in bullous keratopathy.
Patients and methods: We included 11 patients who had undergone CXL at their discretion, instead of corneal transplantation, from September 2011 to October 2015 at Miyata Eye Hospital. The patients were followed up over 2 years. Intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), and intensity and frequency of pain were retrospectively examined at baseline and at month 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24. The intensity and frequency of pain were rated using the numerical rating scale that is an 11-point scale ranging from 0 (min.) to 10 (max.).
Results: The 11 eyes of 11 patients (male, 5; female, 6) with an average age of 79.5±10.9 years were evaluated. The IOP was 14.0±5.4 mmHg at baseline and showed no significant change after the surgery. The CCT was 790.1±171.2 μm at baseline and showed no significant change after the surgery. The mean scores of the intensity and frequency of pain at baseline were 4.9±3.2 and 3.9±2.7, respectively, and significantly improved at month 1 (1.1±2.1 and 1.0±1.8, respectively), and improved to 0.0±0.0 2 years after the surgery.
Conclusion: CXL on bullous keratopathy effectively suppressed pain for a long time period.Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 124: 15-20, 2020.