Unilateral keratoconus in a child with chronic and persistent eye rubbing.

PURPOSE: To report a case of unilateral keratoconus in a 7- year-old female, secondary to chronic persistent eye-rubbing in the absence of any systemic condition.

DESIGN

Observational case report.

METHODS

In the case of this child, no organic cause was found to explain the onset of keratoconus other than persistent eye-rubbing in the affected eye.

RESULTS

Nocturnal eye padding was instigated and the condition stabilized. She was reviewed over a 2-year period of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Eye-rubbing has been implicated in the pathogenesis of keratoconus. Eye-rubbing is also often a feature of a number of conditions linked to keratoconus such as Down syndrome, atopic keratoconjunctivitis, mental retardation, and Lebers' congenital amaurosis. There are a number of reports linking eye-rubbing and keratoconus in children, typically in relation to these conditions. However, in this case the keratoconus was secondary to chronic and persistent eye-rubbing in a healthy child.