Significantly higher levels of cytokines (IL-2, IL-12/23p40, IL-12p70, IL-13, IL-17A, IFNα), chemokines (MIG/CXCL9; ITAC/CXCL11), growth factors (TGFβ1, EPO, VEGF) and enzyme (MPO and angiogenin); and a significant reduction in NGAL was also observed in KC subjects with a history of eye rubbing (Supplementary Table 7). Here, EPO is linked to keratoconus.