Clinical Study on Corneal Topographical Changes in Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis by Using OCULUS Pentacam®

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Corneal Disease
• Pediatric Eye Conditions

Background:

• Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a bilateral, itching, seasonal eye inflammation.
• Corneal involvement in VKC can lead to significant visual impairment.
• Understanding corneal topographical changes in VKC is crucial for early detection and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate corneal topographical changes in vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) patients.
• To assess the impact of VKC duration and age of presentation on corneal topography.
• To determine the prevalence of keratoconus and subclinical keratoconus in VKC patients.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design.
• Utilized OCULUS Pentacam® for detailed corneal topography analysis.
• Included VKC patients and a control group, with comprehensive eye examinations.

Main Results:

• VKC subjects exhibited significantly higher central corneal curvature and astigmatism compared to controls.
• Minimal corneal thickness was significantly reduced in VKC patients with longer disease duration.
• Older age of VKC presentation correlated with increased central corneal curvature and reduced corneal thickness.
• Prevalence of keratoconus and subclinical keratoconus was 10.3% and 11.5% in VKC patients, respectively.

Conclusions:

• Longer duration and older age of VKC presentation are associated with significant corneal topographical changes.
• These changes increase the risk of developing keratoconus in VKC patients.
• Early monitoring of corneal topography in VKC is recommended to mitigate keratoconus risk.