长期持续摩擦眼球的儿童发生单眼圆锥角膜

Unilateral keratoconus in a child with chronic and persistent eye rubbing

Purpose: To report a case of unilateral keratoconus in a 7- yearold 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. Eyerubbing is also often a feature of a number of conditions linked to keratoconus such as Down syndrome, atopic keratoconjunc- tivitis, 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.