A NARRATIVE REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ABOUT KERATOCONE: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND RISK FACTORS

Abstract

Keratoconus is a disease that affects the cornea, causing this ocular region to progressively assume a conical shape due to ectasia, generating progressive thinning of the corneal stroma. It can also be stated that this ophthalmopathy is asymmetrical and bilateral, characterized by irregular astigmatism and decreased visual acuity. The etiology of keratoconus is not exactly known. However, its prevalence is the highest among the diseases that affect the cornea, drawing a lot of attention from several researchers around the world. Therefore, this narrative literature review brought together articles from the main databases with the aim of indicating the epidemiology and risk factors of keratoconus, in view of its great relevance within ophthalmology. At the end, it was concluded that there are several risk factors associated with keratoconus, from the influence of family history to genetic and environmental factors. With regard to epidemiology, it is known that at least 150,000 people are diagnosed each year, with patients in adolescence or early adulthood being more common.