Corneal Collagen Crosslinking for Keratectasia after Laser in situ Keratomileusis: A Review of the Literature

Corneal ectasia is a serious vision-threatening complication of laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). It is associated with progressive corneal steepening, an increase in myopia and astigmatism, and decrease in uncorrected visual acuity. Before LASIK presence of risk factors (corneal thickness, refractive error, presence of clinical and subclinical corneal pathologies) should be studied so patients should be risk-stratified. Forme fruste keratoconus or marginal pellucid degeneration should be investigated before LASIK in order to inform the patients of the possibility to develop a corneal complication. Management of post-LASIK ectasia enlists crosslinking, INTACTS, contact lenses and, in the most serious cases, lamellar keratoplasty and corneal transplantation. Crosslinking is a technique to treat and even prevent post-LASIK corneal ectasia. LASIK is a technique that reduces the corneal strength and stability. Crosslinking increases the number of collagen interfibrillar covalent bonds, using ultraviolet A and riboflavin. This result increases stability in corneal strength, reducing the risk to develop corneal ectasia (if performed simultaneously with LASIK) or it treats ectasia (if performed after LASIK keratectasia).