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Purpose: A stromal demarcation line (DL) after corneal cross-linking (CXL) has lately been suggested as a surrogate parameter for the success of CXL. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between depth of the central DL 1 month and the change in K values 12 months after CXL.Methods: Treatment-naive subjects with keratoconus were treated using an accelerated CXL protocol [A-CXL(9*10)]. Depth of the DL/relative depth of the DL (DL%) was measured using Visante OCT imaging 1 month postoperatively (OP). Kmax/K2.5 (preOP) and change in Kmax/K2.5 (preOP − 12 months postOP) were assessed using corneal tomography (Pentacam HR, Oculus GmBH).Results: Forty eyes were treated following the A-CXL(9*10). The mean DL depth was 200 ± 99 μm (range 71 to 479)/mean DL% = 42.70 ± 20.00% (range 17-90). There was no statistically significant correlation between stromal depth of the DL and change in Kmax or K2.5, respectively (Spearman rho DL/∆Kmax − 0.14 and DL/∆K2.5 − 0.14). Between DL% and the changes in maximum K values or K2.5, no statistically significant correlation was found as well (Spearman rho DL%/∆Kmax − 0.10 and DL%/∆K2.5 − 0.19). Mean change in Kmax after 12 months was − 0.68 ± 2.26 diopters (D) (median − 0.35 D) and − 0.82 ± 1.6 D (median − 0.65 D) for K2.5 (p = 0.07; p = 0.02).Conclusions: No statistically significant correlation was found between the stromal central depth of the DL and any outcome parameter for CXL after 12 months. Therefore, the interpretation of the DL as a predictive parameter for the effect of the procedure may not apply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of patients' clinical information on experts' diagnoses of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and decisions to treat., Methods: Seven experts assessed wide-field fundus photographs of eyes of 52 premature infants of ≤30 weeks' gestational age or ≤1,500 g birthweight (BW) for ROP diagnosis (stage, plus disease, and aggressive posterior ROP) and the necessity for treatment for 2 days. On Day 1, they were masked to all patient data. On Day 2, they were given information on gestational age and BW., Results: A significant shift in the experts' ratings toward a less aggressive ROP grading stage (P = 0.006) and less frequent decision for intervention (P = 0.021) was observed after receipt of patients' clinical information. This was truer for heavier/less premature infants (gestational age ≥ 28 0/7 weeks or BW ≥ 900 g) than those with very low BWs/high prematurity (gestational age < 24 0/7 weeks or BW < 600 g) (ROP stage P = 0.009 vs. P = 0.399, treatment decision P = 0.022 vs. P = 0.648)., Conclusion: These results suggest knowledge of patients' clinical information influences the grading of ROP disease and decision for treatment. Retinopathy of prematurity staging seemed to be set at a lower level and the decision for treatment at a higher threshold for heavier/less premature babies. Our findings may have implications for further refinements in ROP assessment.