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. 2005 Nov;89(11):1403-6.
doi: 10.1136/bjo.2005.074955.

Incidence and severity of keratoconus in Asir province, Saudi Arabia

A A Assiri  1 , B I Yousuf, A J Quantock, P J Murphy
Affiliations

Incidence and severity of keratoconus in Asir province, Saudi Arabia

A A Assiri et al. Br J Ophthalmol. 2005 Nov.

Erratum in

  • Br J Ophthalmol. 2006 Aug;90(8):1071

Abstract

Aim: To assess the incidence and associated signs and symptoms of patients with keratoconus in Asir Province, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: 125 new keratoconus patients (51 male, 74 female; mean age 18.5 (SD 3.8) years; range 8--28 years) were recruited from referrals to the department of ophthalmology, Asir Central Hospital, over a 1 year period. Age, visual acuity, and keratometry were recorded along with clinical signs and symptoms.

Results: The incidence of keratoconus in Asir Province is 20 cases per 100,000 population. Also, the disease severity is high, as indicated by an early mean age (17.7 (3.6) years) with advanced stage keratoconus. Visual acuity, with either spectacles or rigid contact lenses, was 6/12 or better in 98% of eyes measured. Just over half (56%) of patients had atopic ocular disease. 16% of patients had a positive family history of the disease and 16% had atopic dermatitis (eczema and/or vitiligo).

Conclusion: The incidence and severity of keratoconus in Asir Province, Saudi Arabia, is high with an early onset and more rapid progress to the severe disease stage at a young age. This might reflect the influence of genetic and/or environmental factor(s) in the aetiology of keratoconus.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Age distribution of the patients enrolled in the study at the time of ophthalmological diagnosis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scatter plot illustrating vision against keratometry measurements. (A, B) Vision decreases with increasing corneal curvature (r2  = 0.28). (C, D) Vision decreases with increasing corneal astigmatism, although with only a weak relation: right eye (r2  =  0.04) left eye (r2  =  0.05).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Age at the time of ophthalmological diagnosis for each keratometry group. Error bars show mean (±1.0 SD).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Percentage of patients with ocular signs and symptoms accompanying keratoconus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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