Laura Duarte, resident of the Ophthalmology Specialization, attached to the Department of Surgery of the School of Medicine, participated in the IX World Cornea Congress, held in Washington, United States.
This is an international event organized by the Cornea Society, which brings together specialists in cornea, refractive surgery and ocular surface diseases. This academic event, which is held every five years, presents the most recent advances in research, surgical techniques and technological innovations related to the cornea. It includes keynote lectures, interactive symposia and sessions with world-renowned experts.
During the world meeting, the UIS resident presented the research work “Risk factors associated with keratoconus in Bucaramanga (Colombia): a case-control study”. The purpose of the study was to determine the risk factors associated with keratoconus in the population. This case-control study was conducted at the Virgilio Galvis Ophthalmology Center of the FOSCAL Clinic and included 156 patients diagnosed with keratoconus and 312 controls.
Multivariate analysis showed statistical significance for eye rubbing habit (OR=6.86) and family history of keratoconus (OR=10.25). A significant mild interaction was found between the two, as when both coincided, the OR increased up to 74.07 times. According to the results, controlling the habit of rubbing the eyes could be an effective preventive measure for this condition, especially in those with a family history.
