Global Incidence and Prevalence of Keratoconus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Aswen Sriranganathan, Clara C Chan, Jobanpreet Dhillon et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review and meta-analysis estimated keratoconus incidence and prevalence across age groups, sexes, and geographic regions, using studies identified through January 2024. Across 53 studies included in the meta-analysis, pooled prevalence was 289.1 per 100,000 persons (95% CI 124.2-671.1), equivalent to 0.24% of the population; pooled incidence was 4.0 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 2.5-6.3). Estimates varied by age and region, and prevalence and incidence were higher in more recent study periods. Males had slightly higher odds of keratoconus than females.
Key findings
- Pooled prevalence was 289.1 per 100,000 persons (95% CI 124.2-671.1), or 0.24% of the population.
- Pooled incidence was 4.0 per 100,000 person-years (95% CI 2.5-6.3).
- Males had higher odds of keratoconus than females (odds ratio 1.10; 95% CI 1.07-1.13).
- The 20 to 29 age group had the highest reported prevalence (525.5 per 100,000 persons) and incidence (20.8 per 100,000 persons-years).
Why it matters
The pooled estimates provide a broad measure of keratoconus burden and show substantial variation by age, sex, region, and study period. Such variation is relevant to interpreting population-level estimates and identifying where surveillance and further research may be useful. The findings also underscore that global averages may not reflect local disease patterns.
What to keep in mind
The estimates were pooled across studies with substantial variation in reported prevalence by region and period; the abstract does not provide further detail on the sources of this heterogeneity.