title: [Keratoconus screening in a Lebanese students' population].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Screening for keratoconus and potential risk factors in a medical student population in Lebanon using anterior topography.
  
  
  METHODS
  We randomly selected 110 medical students doing rotations in the Hôtel-Dieu de France hospital in Lebanon between November 2009 and February 2010. Ninety-two students agreed to participate in the screening protocol, which included a questionnaire and an anterior topography. The topography was performed using the placido disk Tomey(®) Topographic Modeling System TMS-4. The results were interpreted using the analysis programs supplied with the machine and by an experienced ophthalmologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-two students participated in the study (83.6%): 49 males (53.2%) and 43 females (46.8%). The mean age was 23.6±1 year. Fifty-eight students were ametropic (63.1%): 44 participants were myopic (47.8%), 40 had astigmatism (43.4%), and six were hyperopic (6.5%). Three students (six eyes) were diagnosed with keratoconus. The prevalence of keratoconus was 3.3%, of which 2.2% were already known cases. The prevalence of forme frustre keratoconus was 1.1%. Eleven students (12.1%) had a family history of keratoconus, only one was diagnosed with the disease. Atopy and eye rubbing were not found significantly related to keratoconus in this population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Keratoconus is a prevalent disease among our population of Lebanese medical students, which confirms the clinical impression that keratoconus is relatively frequent in Lebanon. Further studies need to be conducted on a larger and more representative sample to assess keratoconus prevalence and risk factors in Lebanon.
authors.affiliation: Service d'Ophtalmologie, Université Saint-Joseph, Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu de France, Beyrouth, Liban. wakednaji@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waked
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fayad
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fadlallah
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: El Rami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007861:Lebanon / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D011153:Population; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult