EYERUBBICS: The Eye Rubbing Cycle Study
Overview
Authors
Affiliations
: Describe the cognitive and behavioral symptomatology of patients with chronic ocular rubbing in keratoconus (KC) and Ocular Surface Disease (OSD) using a self-questionnaire. : A prospective study was conducted in a tertiary ophthalmology center between May and July 2021. We consecutively included all patients presenting with one of the following conditions: KC and OSD. A questionnaire including the evaluation of Goodman and CAGE-modified criteria for eye rubbing was given to patients in consultation to evaluate their ocular symptoms and medical background. : We included 153 patients in the study. Of these, 125 (81.7%) patients reported eye rubbing. The average Goodman score was 5.8 ± 3.1 and was ≥ 5 in 63.2% of cases. The CAGE score was ≥ 2 in 74.4% of patients. Addiction ( = 0.045) and psychiatric family history ( = 0.03) were more frequent in patients with higher scores. Ocular symptoms and eye rubbing were significantly more frequent and intense in patients with higher scores; : Eye rubbing presents addictive-like cognitive and behavioral characteristics in patients with KC or OSD. The eye rubbing cycle could play an essential role in the onset and progression of keratoconus and could be a factor in the maintenance of dry eye.
Climate Determinants of Keratoconus: Insights From a Systematic Review of Prevalence.
Shabani H, De Ridder J, Asaad M, Bramer W, Meester-Smoor M, Geerards A Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2025; 66(2):30.
PMID: 39932473 PMC: 11817973. DOI: 10.1167/iovs.66.2.30.
Depression among keratoconus patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Moshfeghinia R, Arman A, Sobhi N, Mahmoudinezhad G, Molavi Vardanjani H Front Public Health. 2024; 12:1477411.
PMID: 39651480 PMC: 11621007. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1477411.