Ambiguity remains in the diagnosis of keratoconus

Up to 11.6 per cent of cases for eye condition, keratoconus, may be misdiagnosed because of 'inferior steeping (IS), according to Michael Belin, Professor Ophthalmology and Vision Science, UA College of Medicine, USA, speaking at the World Opthamology Congress (WOC) 2012 held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC).

'Inferior steepening (IS) is very non-specific and includes a number of false positives,' he said. 'Individuals may have IS, but have normal eyes. There is much ambiguity in how we diagnose keratoconus.'

He showed a number of topography images of IS cases where there was no evidence of a decentred apex – a predominant symptom of keratoconus.

'Most studies published use the same criteria for inclusion that we accept as exclusion criteria,' he said. 'We need to improve our technology to positively diagnose the disease.'