RESUMO
INTRODUCTION: Keratoconus is a degenerative corneal disease that is most often seen in young patients. The object of the present study was to analyze the demography of keratoconus patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a prospective study at Bordeaux University Hospital from January 2001 to September 2001. The study included all the consecutive patients with a diagnosis of keratoconus, detected previously or during the current examination. Inclusion criteria included evidence of unilateral or bilateral abnormal corneal steepening with videotopography. RESULTS: We included 121 patients. The results showed a mean age of 33.4 years in males and 37.1 years in females. The number of patients older than 50 was low: 3 out of 83 (3.6%) males and 6 out of 38 (15.7%) females. CONCLUSION: Two hypotheses on the low number of older patients can be suggested. 1) Keratoconus, which is a collagen disorder of the corneal stroma, may be associated with other undetected systemic diseases, which could induce premature death. Different studies have suggested a relationship between keratoconus and mitral valve prolapse. In this case, we can propose preventive treatment. 2) These patients, who have been informed of the nature and the therapeutical modalities of their disease, no longer consult at the hospital, but are followed by their local ophthalmologists.
