Keratoconus and Pasifika in Aotearoa

The prevalence of keratoconus in Aotearoa New Zealand is purported to be higher than the global average¹. This has been attributed to Aotearoa having the largest number of Māori and Pasifika worldwide²; populations within which the prevalence of keratoconus has been suspected to be disproportionately high (Fig 1)^2-4. Government census figures recorded the number of Pasifika in Aotearoa in 2018 at 381,642, encompassing more than 40 distinct ethnic groups⁵. Pasifika are projected to undergo significant population growth over the next two decades, bringing with it a potential rise in keratoconus cases.