COMBINED INTRASTROMAL CORNEAL RINGS AND CORNEAL CROSS LINKING IN CASES OF KERATOCONUS

Abstract

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION B eing one of the most common corneal ectatic disorders with the evolving diagnostic procedure technologies and the widespread treatment options becoming more and more sophisticated as well as being more available, Keratoconus management is getting more and more important to investigate. The question this essay tries to answer is which treatment is the optimum treatment for Keratoconus. The answer is that there is no such an optimal treatment. Every case is unique in every single aspect, Tailoring the treatment is the proper answer. As an example, a young case of mild progressive keratoconus that is fit for CXL -with BCVA of 20/40- or more doesn’t need ICRS implantation as combination of CXL and RGP contact lenses is the proper treatment for this case while an older case with stationary keratoconus my only need RGP contact lenses if it’s tolerable. If it’s not tolerable ICRS alone can provide the solution to achieve better visual acuity. CXL studied showed success in most of the studies. More studies are needed to conclude which technique is the optimal technique for which case. The combination of CXL and ICRS was studied in numerous studies. Most of which showed success. However, more studies are still needed to elaborate which technique and sequence achieves better outcomes. Also, the need for unified guidelines should be addressed.