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Updated: May 7, 2026
Corneal Confocal Microscopy: A Novel Non-invasive Technique to Quantify Small Fibre Pathology in Peripheral Neuropathies
Published on: January 3, 2011
Study of corneal copper deposits in Wilson's disease by in vivo confocal microscopy
Gaia Ceresara1, Paolo Fogagnolo, Massimo Zuin
1Università degli Studi di Milano, U.O. Oculistica, Dipartimento di Medicina, Chirurgia e Odontoiatria, Azienda Ospedaliera San Paolo, Milano, Italia.
Purpose:
To study corneal copper deposits in Wilson's disease (WD) patients by traditional biomicroscopy and in vivo laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM).
Methods:
Twenty WD patients and 20 matched controls underwent an ophthalmic examination in one eye randomly chosen, including slit lamp biomicroscopy with Goldmann's three-mirror contact lens examination and LSCM, in order to evaluate copper deposits in the peripheral cornea.
Results:
No control subjects had corneal changes at both traditional biomicroscopy and LSCM. Only 25% of WD patients had detectable slit lamp changes, compared with 75% with LSCM examination. All cases detected by slit lamp were detected by LSCM. A significant correlation (p < 0.01) was found between deposit intensity at LSCM and daily urinary copper excretion.
Conclusion:
LSCM could detect copper deposition in WD corneas in more patients than traditional examination; it may therefore provide important information in cases of suspected WD diagnosis.
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