Posterior keratoconus associated with systemic abnormalities.

A 16-year-old girl with bilateral congenital posterior keratoconus of the localized type had corneal transplantation performed on one eye. Around the scarred central corneal cone there was a ring of Descemet's membrane with large knob-like excrescences. A small anterior subcapsular cataract was also present in this eye. The pattern of corneal scarring, as seen by electron microscopy, suggested an iridocorneal or iridocorneolenticular adhesion present at the 8- to 20-mm embryonic stage. Associated systemic defects, which could be dated to the same period, were median facial clefting and severe genitourinary abnormalities. Several external features, such as short stature, abnormal gait, broad nose, and upward displacement of the lateral canthi, were similar to those in the Haney-Falls syndrome of familial posterior keratoconus. No appreciable chromosomal abnormalities were found.