Cross-linking, in Ophthalmic Science, is a therapeutic technique that strengthens the cornea by inducing new covalent bonds between collagen fibrils, most commonly through corneal collagen cross-linking using riboflavin as a photosensitiser activated by ultraviolet-A light. The procedure is used principally to halt …
Cross-linking, in Ophthalmic Science, is a therapeutic technique that strengthens the cornea by inducing new covalent bonds between collagen fibrils, most commonly through corneal collagen cross-linking using riboflavin as a photosensitiser activated by ultraviolet-A light. The procedure is used principally to halt the progression of keratoconus and related ectatic disorders, in which the cornea thins and bulges into an irregular cone, degrading vision. By generating additional inter- and intrafibrillar linkages within the corneal stroma, cross-linking increases biomechanical rigidity and resistance to further deformation. The broader chemistry of cross-linking also encompasses non-enzymatic processes relevant to ocular and systemic tissue, such as glycation reactions in which reactive carbonyl species like methylglyoxal, derived from glucose metabolites, form advanced glycation end products that cross-link proteins; these reactions contribute to stiffening and altered function in lens and other tissues and are implicated in cataract and age-related change. In materials and biomedical contexts, cross-linking similarly modifies polymers and biopolymers to tune stability, mechanical strength, and degradation. Within ophthalmology the concept spans both the deliberate, light-driven stabilisation of the cornea and the pathological, oxidative cross-linking that accompanies metabolic stress. Understanding the chemistry, kinetics, and biological consequences of forming covalent bridges between macromolecules underpins corneal therapy, the study of lens ageing, and the design of biocompatible materials.
10 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 10 articles above have been cited 193 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Cross-linking, linking to each citing work.