Interaction of ultraviolet light with the cornea: Clinical implications for corneal crosslinking

Understanding ultraviolet (UV) interaction with the human corneal tissue is of interest among corneal specialists given the widespread application of corneal crosslinking. This article reviews the current knowledge of light interaction with the cornea in the UV wavelength range. It also uses a novel experimental study to illustrate the role of 2 important corneal properties that have not yet been clarified: the epithelial contribution to overall UVA corneal absorbance and the regional anisotropy of UVA light transmittance. Finally, it presents the most recent insights into how different methods of UVA light irradiation and corneal soaking with riboflavin influence the outcome of corneal crosslinking.