Efficacy and Safety of LASIK Combined with Accelerated Corneal Collagen Cross-Linking for Myopia: Six-Month Study

Abstract

This was a prospective controlled clinical trial. 48 myopia patients (96 eyes) were included in this study. After LASIK, accelerated corneal collagen cross-linking (ACXL) was used for myopia treatment. During 6-month follow-up, the results of LASIK-ACXL treatment were studied and compared to the LASIK-only procedure. The results showed that no statistically significant differences in UDVA, CDVA, MRSE, K mean, pachymetry, or ECD were found between the two groups at the visit after 6 months of follow-up (all P > 0.05). At 6 months postoperatively, 2 eyes lost one or more lines of visual acuity in the LASIK-ACXL group, whereas all LASIK-only treated eyes had a stable CDVA. In vivo confocal microscopy showed a decrease of keratocyte density and appearance of honeycomb-like structures in the anterior residual stroma bed; the changes were similar but more pronounced following LASIK-only. None of the cases in both groups developed signs of significant keratitis, regression, or ectasia during the 6-month follow-up. LASIK-ACXL can effectively correct refractive error in patients with myopia, with no significant complications during 6-month follow-up, indicating stability and morphologic change similar to those with LASIK-only treatment.