Background: Gradual progression of the corneal disorder significantly impairs eyesight and quality of life, increasing the likelihood of depression in affected individuals.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of depression and anxiety symptoms in patients having keratoconus and suggest better treatment by identifying the ways to overcome depression.

Methodology: A descriptive analytical study was conducted at the Al –Ibrahim eye hospital Karachi, in March to April 2022, and patients diagnosed with symptomatic keratoconus were recruited through a non-probability convenient sampling technique. After written informed consent from patients, the severity of keratoconus was assessed using Visual acuity and corneal topography. Symptoms of anxiety and depression were assessed through Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale.

Results: A total of 108 participants, of which 60 (56%) were female and 48 (44%) were male. By employing the Hospital Anxiety Depression scale (HADS), 44 (40.7%) patients were classified as normal with a HADS score of (0-7), 23 (21.3%) as borderline with a HADS score of (8-10) and 41 (38%) patients were diagnosed with anxiety and depression with a HADS score of (11-21). Conclusion: Depression and anxiety are very highly prevalent among keratoconus patients, especially in the advanced stages of the disease.  

Dr. Nida Amin is an Assistant Professor and Head of the Department of Optometry at Green International University Lahore. She holds a Ph.D. in Optometry from The University of Faisalabad. With over five years of teaching experience and one year of clinical practice, Dr. Amin has contributed to peer-reviewed journals as a reviewer and presented at both national and international conferences. She is actively involved in the MPhil Optometry program, with a focus on research methodology and biostatistics.