Biomechanical stabilisation of the cornea in keratoconus

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It must be stressed that some patients may not achieve a successful outcome and so the need for extensive preliminary examinations and history taking is essential to determine which treatment is suitable. Both treatments have been approved for commercial use in the UK (MHRA) but presently only Intacs have been approved in the US (FDA). It is expected that further research will lead to cross-linking being approved in the US also.

So far these studies have not reported any serious biomechanical side effects or contraindications for either treatment. The mild side effects encountered in both have been shown to be temporary and manageable, although many specialists have agreed that more long-term research is required. These treatments are cheaper, safer, more accurate and readily available then corneal grafts and could therefore have a huge benefit in developing countries. Many studies have supported that both treatments can be conducted in a large age range (up to 60 years). This is advantageous as many other treatments are contraindicated in certain ages. However, further research is required to definitively determine the parameters of the ideal candidate for each treatment.