29 August 2025
Research by scientists at the University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital has explored the association between keratoconus and autism within the Norwegian population.
Reporting their findings in the Journal of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, the researchers highlighted that keratoconus is 2.5 times more common among individuals with autism as it is in the general population.
They came to this conclusion by obtaining data from the Norwegian Patient Registry, which provides records for all publicly-funded specialist care.
The scientists estimated the prevalence of keratoconus between 2010 and 2019 among both the general population and those with autism.
The prevalence among those with autism was 0.5% compared to 0.2% in the general population.
Among those with autism, the average age of keratoconus diagnosis was 27.3 years. The majority (83.5%) of people with both autism and keratoconus were men.
The researchers emphasised that the “significantly higher prevalence” of keratoconus among those with autism in Norway has implications for clinical practice.
“One should have increased awareness for keratoconus and low threshold for corneal tomography in patients with autism,” they noted.
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