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Updated: Apr 27, 2026
Corneal Confocal Microscopy: A Novel Non-invasive Technique to Quantify Small Fibre Pathology in Peripheral Neuropathies
Published on: January 3, 2011
Comparison of stromal corneal nerves between normal and keratoconus patients using confocal microscopy
M Ramírez Fernández1, E Hernández Quintela1, R Naranjo Tackman1
1Servicio de Córnea y Cirugía Refractiva, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México (APEC), Hospital Luis Sánchez Bulnes, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México D.F., México.
Objective:
To evaluate the differences in stromal corneal nerves between normal patients and keratoconus patients.
Material And Methods:
A total of 140 eyes of 70 normal patients (group A) and 122 eyes of 87 keratoconus patients (group B) were examined with the confocal microscope, with a central scan of the total corneal thickness being taken. The morphology and thickness of the corneal stromal nerves were evaluated by using the Navis v. 3.5.0. software. Nerve thickness was obtained from the mean between the widest and the narrowest portions of each stromal nerve.
Results:
Corneal stromal nerves were observed as irregular linear hyper-reflective structures with wide and narrow portions in all cases. Mean corneal stromal nerves thickness in group A was 5.7±1.7 (range from 3.3 to 10.4 μ), mean corneal stromal nerves thickness in group B was 7.2±1.9 (range from 3.5 to 12.0 μ). There was a statistical significant difference (P<.05) in stromal corneal nerves thickness between group A and group B.
Conclusion:
Stromal corneal nerves morphology was similar in both groups, but stromal nerves were thicker in keratoconus patients.
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