Psychological and Psychiatric Characteristics of People with Keratoconus

Background and Objectives: There are many reports in the literature on the co-occurrence of somatic diseases and psychiatric disorders. Relatively few have addressed the co-occurrence of corneal cone with anxiety, depression, or personality disorders. Materials and Methods: 99 patients with keratoconus (study group) and 92 patients without keratoconus (control group) participated in the entire study, which was conducted in 2015 and 2020-2023. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to assess depressive symptoms, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to assess anxiety symptoms, and the DSM-IV Personality Disorder Inventory (IBZO-DSM-IV) to identify personality disorders. Results: In the study group, the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms correlated with all types of personality disorders. In the control group, these symptoms did not correlate with antisocial and narcissistic personalities. In the comparative analysis, there were more patients with antisocial, schizotypal, obsessive compulsive, schizoid, paranoid, and dependent personality traits in the study group. Conclusions: Patients with keratoconus have increased expressions of antisocial personality traits, but no differences in anxiety and depression symptoms were evident. Further research is needed among patients diagnosed with keratoconus in the short term.