Risk factors and etiologies of corneal conditions causing visual impairment at cornea subspecialty clinics, Cairo University Hospitals

Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the most common risk factors and etiologies of corneal diseases associated with more profound visual impairment. Patients and methods This is an observational, cross-sectional retrospective study that enrolled 276 patients who were examined at the Cornea Subspecialty Clinics, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo, Egypt from January 2018 to August 2023. The review of the patients’ records included history, full ophthalmological examination, diagnosis, and management. The visual impairment grades were categorized according to WHO guidelines and recommendations. Results Out of the 276 patients evaluated, 100 (32.5%) patients had infectious keratitis, the most common of which was bacterial keratitis (14.1%) while 176 (67.5%) patients had noninfectious corneal diseases, with keratoconus affecting 78 (28.3%) patients. Being aged 40 years or more and rural residence increased the likelihood of severe visual impairment to blindness due to corneal conditions by 8.325 and 2.365 folds, respectively. Corneal decompensation after surgery and bacterial infection were found to be more associated with severe visual impairment (crude odds ratio=27.5 and 22, respectively). Conclusion Older age, rural residence, bacterial infection, and postoperative corneal decompensation were associated with worse visual impairment. Targeted health promotion strategies could help in prevention of corneal blindness.