ArticleCureus2026
Humanistic and Economic Burden of Patients With Keratoconus.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background and objective Keratoconus is a chronic, progressive corneal disease that occurs primarily in people of working age and significantly affects visual function. However, its broader impact on vision-related quality of life (VRQoL), work productivity, and functional capacity remains poorly investigated. The primary objective of this study was to assess the impact of keratoconus on VRQoL and work productivity. Secondary objectives included the evaluation of daily activity impairment and the investigation of associations between these outcomes and demographic, clinical, and economic factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in patients with keratoconus, who completed the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25) and the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) Questionnaire. Demographic and clinical data, including Amsler-Krumeich staging and type of treatment, were collected. Associations were assessed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Reduced VRQoL was significantly associated with increased presenteeism, overall work productivity loss, and functional disability. The VFQ-25 subscales for near and distance vision activities, mental health, and caregiver dependence showed the strongest associations. Higher age, advanced stages of keratoconus, especially in the worse eye, and surgical treatment were associated with lower VRQoL. No independent association was observed between VRQoL and annual treatment costs. Conclusions Keratoconus imposes a substantial functional and psychosocial burden, significantly impairing VRQoL and work productivity. Reduced VRQoL was strongly associated with increased presenteeism, overall productivity loss, and activity impairment, highlighting its role as a key indicator of disease burden. Disease severity, older age, and surgical treatment were identified as important determinants of poorer outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of early detection and comprehensive, patient-centered management strategies, including the routine assessment of VRQoL and functional outcomes in clinical practice.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
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 Socratic graph.