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Cross-linking shows promise in treatment of infectious keratitis
CHICAGO – Corneal cross-linking with riboflavin may be a viable treatment option for infectious keratitis, a speaker said here.
“Cross-linking is a promising therapy for infectious keratitis for multiple different pathogens that we’ve identified thus far,” J. Bradley Randleman, MD, said during Cornea Subspecialty Day preceding the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery annual meeting.
“There is great information available and it’s still very exciting to see the utilization of this technology that we’ve been awaiting for a variety of different diseases,” he said.
Dr. Randleman cited a study in which cross-linking with riboflavin eliminated infectious keratitis in five eyes with multiple organisms, seven eyes with bacterial keratitis and three eyes with therapy-resistant Acanthamoeba infections.
Cross-linking also protects the cornea from infiltration of various pathogens, Dr. Randleman said.
He said that questions remain concerning the use of cross-linking as a primary or secondary treatment, or as a solo or adjuvant therapy; optimal ultraviolet fluence and time; and the need to repeat treatment.
Riboflavin treatment of bacterial infections is not new in medicine, having been used to purify infected blood platelets and plasma used in blood transfusions, Dr. Randleman said.
- Disclosure: Dr. Randleman has no relevant financial disclosures.