Demographic and Clinical Profile of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis is a chronic, recurrent allergic ocular disease predominantly affecting children and young adults in tropical climates. Its demographic and clinical characteristics in Bangladeshi populations remain inadequately characterized. Objective: To evaluate the demographic profile and clinical manifestations of patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Methods & Materials: This prospective cohort study enrolled 47 patients with vernal keratoconjunctivitis via purposive sampling at the Department of Ophthalmology, Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital, Chattogram, Bangladesh, from January to December 2025. Comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, was performed. Demographic data, clinical signs, and symptom severity were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: Among 47 patients, 34 (72.3%) were male, and 13 (27.7%) were female, with a mean age of 11.4 ± 5.2 years. The majority (83.0%) presented during the spring and summer months. Palpebral form was the most common clinical type (46.8%), followed by mixed (29.8%) and limbal (23.4%). Itching was the predominant symptom (100%), followed by photophobia (76.6%) and foreign body sensation (68.1%). Giant papillae were observed in 68.1% of cases. Conclusion: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis predominantly affects young males in the first two decades of life, with palpebral involvement being the most frequent clinical presentation. Seasonal variation with spring-summer predominance is notable, emphasizing the need for timely diagnosis and management.