Factores de riesgo asociados al desarrollo del queratocono infantil y juvenil

Abstract

Introduction: Keratoconus is defined as a progressive and non-inflammatory corneal pathology caused by deformation and opacity of the cornea. Epidemiologically, it tends to occur in all races, regardless of climate and territory, affecting a minimum of 1 in every 2,000 patients. It is suggested that there are approximately 250 cases per 100,000 patients annually. Its etiology is multifactorial due to the interaction between several risk factors, such as hereditary disorders, biochemical changes, and systemic diseases. Since keratoconus is a progressive disease, clinical symptoms are diagnosed at puberty, and it develops throughout the third and fourth decade, so establishing its early diagnosis and timely therapy will allow to provide a better quality of life to the patient, thus reducing the rate of visual morbidity and mortality. Objective: To identify the risk factors for developing infantile and juvenile keratoconus. Method: The type of study has a qualitative, descriptive approach; it will be investigated in virtual databases such as Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, Cochrane, and Elicit, with interference in high-impact articles published in the last five years. Results and conclusions: It is suggested that the development of keratoconus is common in the population ranging from 5 to 25 years old regardless of sex; the main risk factors are eye rubbing, environmental factors, socioeconomic status, and, finally, systemic diseases.