Risk Factors for Development of Keratoconus: A Matched Pair Case-Control Study

Keratoconus, a progressive ectatic corneal disorder, is believed to be multifactorial in etiology with interaction between genetic and environmental factors. To date, risk factors for the development of the disease are extensively debated and need to be identified since they play a critical role in disease prevention and management. This study aimed to analyze associations between several hereditary and environmental predictors and the development of keratoconus.

This was a retrospective matched pair case-control study. The study was conducted in Ibn-Alhaitham eye teaching hospital between March 2016 and April 2017. Patients with keratoconus (cases) and their age- and gender-matched controls were asked about childhood and early teenage eye rubbing, ocular trauma, obesity, contact lens wear, smoking and sunlight exposure, family history of keratoconus, parental consanguinity and information related to socio-economic status. Univariable and multivariable conditional logistic regression analyses were used to test the significance of associations.

A total of 166 individuals (83 cases and 83 controls; 60.2% female) were included. On univariable analysis, eye rubbing, family history of keratoconus and parental consanguinity were significant risk factors for keratoconus, whereas all other factors were non-significant. On multivariable analysis, eye rubbing (odds ratio: 4.93; P < 0.01), family history of keratoconus (odds ratio: 25.52; P < 0.01) and parental consanguinity (odds ratio: 2.89; P = 0.02), again, emerged as significant risk factors for disease development.

Family history of keratoconus, eye rubbing, and parental consanguinity were significant risk factors for keratoconus development. These results support the evidence for multifactorial etiology, the most important factor being hereditary predisposition.