Keratoconus onset after age 50.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the sudden clinical manifestations of keratoconus in a 51-year-old woman.


METHODS
The patient had stable annual refractions for several years with 0.50 diopters (D) astigmatism in each eye and later developed 2.00 and 6.00 D of astigmatism in the right and left eyes, respectively.


RESULTS
Topography and tomography showed definite keratoconus in the left eye and possible keratoconus in the right eye. The patient had no known family history of keratoconus and no known connective tissue disease other than fibromyalgia. She wore soft contacts for 20 years and had allergies, but did not rub her eyes. The patient was treated with corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL).


CONCLUSIONS
Although rare, ectatic changes can occur later in life without prior surgery or trauma. The patient has shown early signs of improvement with CXL despite her age.
Price Vision Group, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
Lawrence R
LR
Tenkman
Marianne O
MO
Price
Francis W
FW
Price
D017668:Age of Onset; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D003319:Corneal Stroma / Q000378:metabolism; D019781:Corneal Topography; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007640:Keratoconus / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012029:Refraction, Ocular; D012256:Riboflavin / Q000627:therapeutic use
D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D003094:Collagen; D012256:Riboflavin