Keratoconus Progression Induced by In Vitro Fertilization Treatment

To evaluate patients with keratoconus who manifested progression after in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

Patients with keratoconus who received IVF treatment were included in this study. None of the patients became pregnant as a result of the IVF treatment. Progression of keratoconus was determined by changes in corrected distance visual acuity and/or topographic changes and subjective assessments.

Three patients with keratoconus received IVF treatment and keratoconus progression was detected in all 6 eyes of the patients. The mean age of the patients was 32.3 ± 3.6 years (range: 28 to 36 years) and the mean follow-up duration was 15.6 ± 3.2 months (range: 12 to 18 months). The mean and the maximum keratometry values increased and corrected distance visual acuity decreased after 2.3 IVF treatments.

Drugs used in IVF treatment increase estrogen levels, which may affect corneal biomechanics and induce progression of keratoconus. Corneal cross-linking treatment could be offered to minimize the risk of keratoconus progression before IVF treatment.