Non-invasive optical method for real-time assessment of intracorneal riboflavin concentration and efficacy of corneal cross-linking.

Keratoconus is the primary cause of corneal transplantation in young adults worldwide. Riboflavin/UV-A corneal cross-linking may effectively halt the progression of keratoconus if an adequate amount of riboflavin enriches the corneal stroma and is photo-oxidated by UV-A light for generating additional cross-linking bonds between stromal proteins and strengthening the biomechanics of the weakened cornea. Here we reported an UV-A theranostic prototype device for performing corneal cross-linking with the ability to assess corneal intrastromal concentration of riboflavin and to estimate treatment efficacy in real time.

Assessment of stromal riboflavin concentration-depth profile in nanotechnology-based transepithelial corneal crosslinking.

Purpose: To determine the intrastromal concentration of riboflavin in nanotechnology-based transepithelial corneal crosslinking.

Setting: Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Messina, Italy.

Design: Experimental study.

All-Optical Method to Assess Stromal Concentration of Riboflavin in Conventional and Accelerated UV-A Irradiation of the Human Cornea.

Purpose: We investigated the concentration of riboflavin in human donor corneas during corneal cross-linking using two-photon optical microscopy and spectrophotometry.

Methods: Eight corneal tissues were de-epithelialized and soaked with 20% dextran-enriched 0.1% riboflavin solution for 30 minutes.