Beyond Vision: Unveiling the Psychiatric Dimensions of Keratoconus.

Researchers looked at whether people with keratoconus (a progressive eye condition) are more likely to have mental health conditions like depression or ADHD. They reviewed 12 studies involving over 100,000 people. Results were mixed - some studies found higher rates of depression in people with keratoconus, while others didn't. There was very little research on autism.

The researchers concluded that while some people with keratoconus may experience more psychological difficulties, they cannot prove the eye condition causes mental health problems.

This systematic review examined associations between keratoconus (a progressive eye condition) and psychiatric disorders, analyzing 12 studies with over 105,000 participants. The review focused primarily on depression, with mixed findings: five studies showed higher depressive symptoms in keratoconus patients while others found no significant association. One study examined ADHD, reporting higher keratoconus prevalence in males but no causal relationship. Evidence for other psychiatric conditions including autism spectrum disorder was limited to case reports.

The review highlights potential psychological burden in some keratoconus patients but emphasizes that causal relationships remain unproven due to methodological limitations and reliance on cross-sectional data.

Clinicians should be aware of potential psychological burden in keratoconus patients, particularly depressive symptoms, though causal relationships remain unestablished. Mental health screening may be beneficial for some patients. Eye examination could be considered in male ADHD patients with eye rubbing behaviors.

Heterogeneous methodologies, small sample sizes, absence of longitudinal data, reliance on self-report or registry data, and predominantly cross-sectional study designs limited the ability to establish causal relationships between keratoconus and psychiatric conditions.

: Keratoconus (KC) is a progressive corneal ectasia with multifactorial etiology, increasingly studied for potential associations with psychiatric disorders. This systematic review aimed to evaluate recent evidence linking KC with depression and other psychiatric conditions, including psychotic disorders, personality disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Tourette syndrome (TS), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, ScienceDirect and SpringerLink were searched for English-language observational studies published since 2015 that examined psychiatric disorders in adults with keratoconus. We excluded reviews, case reports, pediatric, non-English, and inaccessible articles. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and JBI Checklist.

Data were narratively summarized and tabulated-without meta-analysis due to heterogeneity.: Twelve studies met inclusion criteria, including 41,906 KC patients and 63,267 controls. Eleven studies investigated depression and one ADHD. Findings on depression were mixed: five studies showed higher depressive symptoms among KC patients, while others found no significant association. Most were cross-sectional and of moderate-to-high quality.

The single study on ADHD reported a higher prevalence of KC in males, but no evidence of casual association. Evidence on TS, ASD, and OCD was scarce and largely limited to case reports. The review was limited by heterogeneous methodologies, small sample sizes, an absence of longitudinal data, and reliance on self-report or registry data.: Current evidence indicates increased psychological burden among some individuals with KC, particularly regarding depressive symptoms, yet casual relationships remain unproven. Male ADHD patients may have an elevated risk of KC, especially in the presence of eye rubbing.Not registered.