Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41893994›Full record

ArticleOphthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists)2026

Evaluation of Factors Influencing Quality of Life in Keratoconus Patients Using the Keratoconus Outcomes Research Questionnaire (KORQ).

Erica Ferrini, Chiara Posarelli, Davide Aleo, Michele Figus, Giovanna Gabbriellini

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Article in Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Erica FerriniOphthalmology, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy. erica.ferrini@phd.unipi.it.
Chiara PosarelliOphthalmology, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Davide AleoAzienda Sanitaria Locale 5 Spezzino, Sarzana, Italy.
Michele FigusOphthalmology, Department of Surgical, Medical and Molecular Pathology and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
Giovanna GabbrielliniOphthalmology, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo assess quality of life (QoL) in patients with keratoconus using the Keratoconus Outcomes Research Questionnaire (KORQ) and to investigate the influence of clinical and demographic variables on questionnaire scores.

methodsPatients with a diagnosis of bilateral keratoconus presenting at the cornea service self-completed the KORQ questionnaire. To investigate factors influencing QoL, associations between KORQ scores and sex, age, optical correction, history of corneal cross-linking, best corrected visual acuity, steepest keratometry, central corneal thickness, Amsler-Krumeich stage, posterior symmetry index, higher-order aberrations and coma were assessed using univariate and multivariable linear regression analysis.

resultsIn total, 153 patients were included. Both the Activity Limitation and the Symptoms subscale scores of the KORQ were inversely correlated with keratometric and aberrometric readings and disease stage of both eyes. Also, the 'driving at night' and 'seeing in poor light' functional domains were negatively affected by aberrometric readings. In the multivariable regression model, sex, use of correction, use of rigid-gas-permeable contact lenses, higher-order aberration and posterior symmetry index were retained as significant independent predictors for functional score, explaining 25.5% of the variance (adjusted R² = 21.3%, p < 0.001). For the symptoms score, sex, keratoconus stage and posterior symmetry index were retained as significant independent predictors, explaining 14.7% of the variance (adjusted R² = 11.2%, p < 0.001). Gender-stratified regression models highlighted sex-specific differences in predictors.

conclusionsIn patients with keratoconus, higher disease stage and higher values of keratometric and aberrometric readings negatively affected both functional and symptom scores on the KORQ. Male sex, lower posterior symmetry index, lower keratoconus stage and lower higher-order aberrations were the strongest independent predictors of better QoL. The posterior symmetry index emerged as a novel determinant of QoL, translating early structural changes into a meaningful impact on patients' visual functioning.

Indexed as

CorneaKeratoconusQuality of LifeVisual AcuityAberrometryAdolescentAdultCorneal Cross-LinkingCorneal TopographyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultCorneal cross-linkingKeratoconusQuality of lifeVision-related quality of life

Identifiers

PMID41893994

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.