Is there a relationship between keratoconus and ocular mites?

BACKGROUND

The background of this study was to evaluate the relationship between keratoconus (KC) occurrence and ocular infestation together with the effects of on the ocular surface.

METHODS

Thirty-eight eyes of 20 KC patients (KC group) and 40 eyes of 20 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects (control group) were included in this cross-sectional study. species (), clinical symptoms such as eye rubbing, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), corneal topography findings, tear break-up time (TBUT), and Schirmer test scores were evaluated. KC eyes were also divided into two subgroups according to KC severity and presence of . was detected using conventional light microscopy.

RESULTS

The mean age was 25.90 ± 7.01 years in the KC group, and 26.52 ± 8.94 years in the control group ( = 0.731). While unexpectedly no were detected in the control group, were detected in the KC group, including 8 eyes (21.1%) with , and 10 eyes with + (26.3%) ( < 0.001). As the KC severity worsened, the percentage of eyes with mites increased (43.8% in the mild/moderate subgroup and 66.7% in the severe subgroup, < 0.001). The number of rubbing eyes and OSDI scores were significantly higher, and TBUT levels were significantly lower in the KC + and - subgroups than the control group ( < 0.001 for all), but there is no significant difference between the KC + and - subgroups regarding ocular surface parameters ( = 1.0).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the number of patients is relatively small and there is no follow-up data after treatment, KC and ocular infestation seem to be associated. -related inflammation and associated eye rubbing may contribute to KC progression.