Incidence and characteristics of unilateral keratoconus classified on corneal topography

To evaluate the characteristics of unilateral keratoconus defined on the basis of corneal topography and analyze videokeratography parameters between fellow eyes and normal controls.

A total of 111 patients with clinical keratoconus were prospectively enrolled. Both eyes were evaluated with Tomey (Tomey Corp) and Orbscan II (Bausch & Lomb) corneal topography systems. The patient was classified as having unilateral keratoconus if one eye had clinical keratoconus and the other eye did not have any topographic signs of keratoconus such as asymmetric videokeratographic pattern, positive result in Tomey keratoconus screening, maximum posterior elevation >40 μm, or corneal thinnest pachymetry <500 μm. Clinical characteristics and 13 Orbscan II quantitative indices between keratoconic and fellow eyes and normal control eyes were evaluated.

Five (4.5%) of 111 patients with keratoconus had no topographic evidence of keratoconus in the fellow eye. All clinically normal fellow eyes had symmetric bowtie patterns. Statistically significant differences were noted in maximum posterior elevation, corneal irregularity, and corneal thinnest values between keratoconic eyes and fellow eyes, and between keratoconic eyes and control eyes. Only 3-mm irregularity was significantly higher in the fellow eyes compared with control eyes (P<.05). An increased trend for corneal 5-mm irregularity was found in fellow eyes compared to control eyes.

The incidence of unilateral keratoconus was 4.5%. A trend of higher irregularity was found in fellow eyes compared with control eyes. This finding indicates that fellow eyes may show a certain low-expressivity morphologic feature of keratoconus.