Topographical irregularity and keratoconic findings in five siblings and their parents

Abstract

Purpose: To report the clinical features of five siblings, four of them with positive diagnostic of keratoconus in different degrees of severity as well as their parents findings.

Materials and methods: Seven elements of the same family, five young siblings (2 males, 3 females), and their parents were screened for potential keratoconic signs. Topographic data from 60 normal eyes are also reported for comparison purposes. Complete ophthalmologic examination including biomicroscopic, topographic and refractive examination. Main outcome measures included biomicroscopic findings, refractive error and visual acuity, simulated keratometry, corneal eccentricity, indices of asymmetry and regularity.

Results: The more advanced case was present in the left eye of a male member, needing a rigid gas permeable lens to correct irregular astigmatism. Another brother also presented bilateral mild to moderate keratoconus with no apparent vision complaints. The third case diagnosed was one sister with history of monthly disposable soft toric lens to compensate a presumed initially regular astigmatism two years before. The remaining two cases being the older sister and one of the younger sisters presented the less noticeable signs, with confirmation of the pathology only in one of them and warranting a close followup of both due to the asymmetric corneal topography between both eyes as well as between the flatter superior and steeper inferior corneal areas.

Conclusion: This is the first reported case series involving diagnosis of keratoconus or atypical corneal topographies in several young siblings and their parents. Further evaluation of this and other cases with similar presentations might help to gain a deeper understanding on the potential genetic paths of keratoconus.