[Keratoconus, changes in corneal topography and allergy. Study of 3 groups of patients].

PURPOSE: To study the relation between keratoconus and atopy based on allergic prick tests, and the association of infraclinical keratoconus with atopy compared to "normal eyes". Simultaneously corneal topographic modifications have been researched to patients presenting an ocular atopy versus normal patients.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: A videokeratoscope has been used for the selection of 22 keratoconic patients, 17 infraclinical keratoconic subjects and 22 patients with no ocular abnormality. Incidence of allergic phenomenon was assessed with two tests (Prick test, lacrymal total IgE dose). The videokeratoscopy was also performed in the research of corneal modifications in a group of 45 patients with an ocular atopy.

RESULTS

The results of allergologic tests (positives Prick tests) showed a statistical significant difference between the keratoconus group (63.6%) and respectively the infraclinical keratoconus group (23.5%) and the normal eyes group (22.7%). No videotopographic picture of keratoconus and infraclinical keratoconus has been noted in patients with ocular atopy.

CONCLUSION

Keratoconus is related to allergy. In this study, no association of allergy with infraclinical keratoconus was found. Further more, no videotopographic changes was observed in ocular allergic cases.