Keratoconus is a progressive bilateral corneal ectatic disorder characterized by corneal thinning, steepening, and irregular astigmatism, resulting in significant visual impairment. Although traditionally regarded as a non-inflammatory condition, emerging evidence suggests that inflammatory processes may play a contributory role in its pathogenesis. The disease is multifactorial, involving complex interactions between genetic predisposition and environmental factors, with documented familial clustering in affected individuals. This study explores the impact of epithelium-off corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) on higher-order aberrations (HOAs) in patients with early keratoconus. CXL is a widely adopted intervention aimed at halting disease progression by strengthening corneal biomechanical stability through riboflavin activation and ultraviolet-A irradiation. In addition to its stabilizing effect, its influence on optical quality, particularly HOAs, remains an important clinical consideration. The study evaluates changes in corneal optical aberrations following treatment, providing insight into functional visual outcomes beyond structural stabilization. Findings from this research contribute to a better understanding of the optical benefits of CXL in early-stage keratoconus and support its role in improving visual quality in affected patients
Carlisle et al. (Tue,) studied this question.