The September 2009 issue of the Journal of Refractive Surgery presented the results of a study treating twelve patients (14 eyes) with progressive keratoconus with customized topography-guided photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) with the Pulzar Z1 (wavelength 213 nm, CustomVis) immediately followed by corneal collagen CXL with the use of riboflavin and ultraviolet A irradiation.

The abstract reports that:

Mean follow-up was 10.69±5.95 months (range: 3 to 16 months). Mean preoperative spherical equivalent refraction (SE) was –3.03±3.23 diopters (D) and defocus was 4.67±3.29 D; at last follow-up SE and defocus were statistically significantly reduced to –1.29±2.05 D and 3.04±2.53 D, respectively (P<.01). Preoperative mean (logMAR) uncorrected visual acuity was 0.99±0.81 and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity was 0.21±0.19, which improved postoperatively to 0.16±0.15 and 0.11±0.15, respectively. The mean steepest keratometry was reduced from 48.20±3.40 D preoperatively to 45.13±1.80 D at last follow-up. 

Based on these results, researchers concluded that “[s]imultaneous PRK followed by CXL seems to be a promising treatment capable of offering functional vision in patients with keratoconus.”

For access to the abstract and full text of the article, go here ^[1] (subscription required for full text).