[Recovery of corneal sensitivity following keratoplasty and corneal diseases]

Corneal sensitivity (CS) was tested in 201 eyes with clear plastic grafts and in 193 eyes with corneal diseases, using the Cochet-Bonnet Aesthesiometer. After keratoplasty, the CS returned to normal in 40.0% and 50.0% of the eyes with non-HSK in 5-6 years and 7-22 years respectively, while only 17.2% of the eyes with HSK showed normal CS in 7-22 years postoperative. The corneas of HSK patients were markedly hypoesthetic all over, whereas in non-HSK patients, the corneal hypoesthesia involved only the morbid area. The examination of CS is useful in the diagnosis of corneal diseases and evaluation of nerve regeneration after keratoplasty.