Gender-specific association of <em>STON2</em> rs2371597 polymorphism in keratoconus patients of Saudi origin

CONCLUSION: Preliminary evidence suggests a gender-specific effect of the rs2371597 polymorphism in STON2, with an increased KC risk associated with C/G-C/C genotypes in men which was age-dependent. This result highlights the importance of considering population-specific genetic factors and the potential gender-specific effects on KC susceptibility. However, these findings need further validation with larger age- and sex-matched samples of diverse populations.