Trends in Research Related to Keratoconus From 2009 to 2018: A Bibliometric and Knowledge Mapping Analysis

Purpose: To map the publication trends in and explore hotspots of keratoconus research. Methods: A bibliometric analysis based on the Web of Science Core Collection was conducted to investigate the publication trends in research related to keratoconus. The records extracted were analyzed, and a knowledge map was constructed using VOSviewer v.1.6.10 to visualize the annual publication number, distribution of countries, international collaborations, author productivity, source journals, intellectual base, and research hotspots in the field of keratoconus. Results: In total, 3194 peer-reviewed publications on keratoconus published between 2009 and 2018 were retrieved, and the annual research output increased with time. The United States ranked the highest among the countries with the most publications, and Tehran University of Medical Sciences was the most active institution. JL Alio contributed to the most number of publications on keratoconus, and Cornea was the most prolific journal publishing keratoconus research. The top cited references mainly focused on corneal collagen cross-linking. The keywords formed 6 clusters: 1) pathogenesis of keratoconus, 2) corneal collagen cross-linking, 3) management for early-stage keratoconus, 4) corneal parameter measurement, 5) surgical treatment of keratoconus, and 6) corneal biomechanics-related research. Conclusions: On the basis of the data extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection, the quantity and quality of publications on keratoconus were assessed using bibliometric techniques. The cited references and research hotspots could provide insights into keratoconus research as well as valuable information to cornea specialists for performing research in this field and discovering potential collaborators.