Differential Diagnosis of Keratoconus
KEY CONCEPTS • Pertinent medical (systemic and ocular) and family history must be elicited. • Many conditions can mimic keratoconus. These can be classified as ectatic and nonectatic disorders. •…
Keratoconus Classification Systems
Introduction As advances in diagnosis and treatment of keratoconus emerge, classification and staging become essential to monitor progression of the disease and response to treatment. There is currently no consensus…
Biomechanics of Keratoconus
KEY CONCEPTS • Moderate and advanced stages of keratoconus are readily recognized, but the identification of milder or subclinical forms of this disease sometimes remains challenging. • The advent of…
Keratoconus: Associated Systemic Diseases
KEY CONCEPTS • Numerous systemic conditions have been linked to development and progression of keratoconus. • Eye rubbing may represent the common pathway in the progression of keratoconus across a…
Clinical Course and Progression of Keratoconus
KEY CONCEPTS • The progression of keratoconus is variable and is linked to environmental factors and eye-rubbing habits, as well as to multiple genes. • To date, there is no…
Genetics of Keratoconus
KEY CONCEPTS • Keratoconus is a progressive corneal disease with genetic susceptibility. • Genome-wide linkage studies have identified genes responsible for familial keratoconus. • A number of keratoconus genes are…
Pathophysiology of Keratoconus
KEY CONCEPTS • Keratoconus is described as a “multifactorial” condition, implying that many factors contribute to its causation, structural alterations, and progression. • The most important etiological association in keratoconus…
Keratoconus: Definitions
KEY CONCEPTS • Keratoconus (KC) is described as a condition in which the cornea assumes a conical shape with coinciding corneal stromal thinning inducing irregular astigmatism, myopia, and protrusion. •…
Epidemiology of Keratoconus
KEY CONCEPTS • Epidemiological studies describe the distribution of disease, identify factors that influence that distribution, and measure the impact and morbidity of disease in a defined population. • Population-based screening…
Keratoconus: A Brief History
The disorder now known as keratoconus has fascinated and perplexed clinicians for more than three centuries. Recognized as early as the 1700s, its pathophysiology remains both curious and frustrating, and,…
