Categories: Ophthalmology

Is keratoconus a very common disease in Canary Islands?

Keratoconus is a pathology of a very high frequency in Canary Islands. We have a high incidence without having an updated knowledge of why our frequency in keratoconus is much higher than the national average and even worldwide. There is approximately one keratoconus worldwide for every 2000 inhabitants. In the latest studies, the world health organization (WHO) stated that Canary Islandshad epidemic figures. Precisely for this reason it is not trivial, many surgeons in the world of the cornea have a very high casuistry compared to other surgeons in the national sphere.

Keratoconus is a degenerative disease of the cornea that usually appears during the second or third decade. It is usually bilateral and there are certain current doubts about whether it has an inflammatory component or not, since until now we thought there was none. The latest studies reveal that there is some inflammatory component.

Is keratoconus a hereditary disease?

It has also been discovered that, fortunately, it is less hereditary than it us We suspected. The latest figures speak of a family incidence around an 20 or 25% and even in some areas of the world to an 30% of hereditary possibilities largely linked to ocular rubbers. A simple rubbing of the eyes of a person with a susceptibility to this disease can modify the curvature of the cornea by mechanically causing a trauma on the ocular surface that leads to this disease, keratoconus, which can lead to loss Of vision.

Why is it important not to rub your eyes?

It is very unlikely that a keratoconus will evolve very quickly if we are not rubbers. We have to become aware as a society that we cannot rub our eyes, since keratoconus has a very high incidence in Canary Islands. In those families where there is a component, a member, who suffers from this disease, we must monitor our children and our youth. Especially because of the rubbing in habitual activities, such as compulsively drying our face by touching our eyes when we get out of the shower, the pool or the beach. Also sleeping inadequately on the stomach, resting the eye on the pillow makes us press the ocular surface for 8 hours. This can lead to starting a disease that can end up being catastrophic, in terms of the visual defect that causes and loss of vision.