An Israeli study has linked attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to keratoconus in males.
The population-based cross-sectional study examined the medical records of more than 900,000 members of the military.
Those with keratoconus were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD compared with the general population (odds ratio (OR) 1.58, 95% CI 1.38–1.81, P<0.001), and results remained significant after adjustments for age, sex, and intellectual status.
Stratification according to age showed an association between keratoconus and ADHD for males (OR, 1.62; 95% CI, 1.39–1.90; P < .001) but not for females (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.96–1.74; P = .09).
The study concluded that although a causative effect could not be ascribed, these findings support further investigation into the potential value of education regarding eye rubbing in this population.
The study was published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
