Baseline Characteristics of 1976 Patients With Ectatic Corneal Disorders at a Single Center From 2010 to 2021: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Homburg Keratoconus Center

Abstract

Objectives: The study objective was to analyze the baseline characteristics of keratoconus (KC) patients at the Homburg Keratoconus Center from 2010 to 2021. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 3,674 eyes, with analysis of demographics, clinical findings, visual function, endothelial measurements, and topographic, tomographic, and corneal biomechanical data from the first visit. Results: Mean patient age was 36.3±13.8 years. The mean uncorrected distance visual acuity in log of minimal angle of resolution was 0.60 (20/80, Snellen equivalent), and the corrected mean was 0.3 (20/40). Of 1976 patients, 48.9% reported eye rubbing. Mean values (ranges) were 49.4±6.3 (36.3–78.0) D for steep keratometry, 462.4±66.0 (48.0–659.0) μm for thinnest corneal thickness, 9.7±8.7 (−0.5 to 88.8) for Belin/Ambrósio enhanced ectasia total deviation, 0.8±0.4 (0.0–1.0) for the Corvis biomechanical index, 0.9±0.2 (0.0–1.0) for the tomographic biomechanical index, 0.1±0.5 (−0.9 to 2.0) for the KC match index, 8.3±1.8 (2.2–17.7) mm Hg for corneal hysteresis, 7.1±2.2 (0.0–17.0) mm Hg for corneal resistance factor, and 2,562.9±326.3 (1,011–3,937) cells/mm2 for endothelial cell density. The average ABCDE KC stage was A2B3C1D1E2. Distance-corrected visual acuity correlated strongly with topometric, tomographic, and biomechanical data (P<0.001). Conclusions: This comprehensive description of baseline features of KC patients at a tertiary center provides a reference for further longitudinal and international multicentric studies.