Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026
Corneal Sensitivity Testing Procedure for Ophthalmologic and Optometric Patients
Published on: August 2, 2024
Axial length-based reference values for corneal sensitivity in a pediatric population
Irem Onal1,2, Begum Aydin3, Yusuf Berk Akbas3
1Department of Ophthalmology, University of Health Sciences, Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. iiremonal@gmail.com.
Insights
Children with longer axial lengths (AL) have reduced corneal sensitivity (CS). Specifically, eyes with AL ≥ 26 mm showed significantly lower CS across all quadrants compared to shorter AL eyes.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Corneal Physiology
- Pediatric Eye Care
Background:
- Axial length (AL) is a key determinant of ocular growth and refractive error.
- Corneal sensitivity (CS) plays a crucial role in maintaining ocular surface health and integrity.
- Understanding the relationship between AL and CS in pediatric populations is essential for early detection of potential visual impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between axial length (AL) and corneal sensitivity (CS) in healthy pediatric eyes.
- To establish preliminary reference values for corneal sensitivity across different AL categories in children.
- To determine if axial elongation is associated with altered corneal sensory function in pediatric populations.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, cross-sectional study involving 353 children aged 5-18 years.
- Axial length (AL) was categorized into four groups (≤22 mm, 22.01-23.99 mm, 24.0-25.99 mm, ≥26 mm).
- Corneal sensitivity (CS) was measured in five quadrants using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer, with statistical analyses performed across AL and age groups.
Main Results:
- Corneal sensitivity (CS) significantly differed across axial length (AL) groups in all measured corneal quadrants (p < 0.001 to 0.009).
- Eyes with AL ≥ 26 mm exhibited significantly reduced CS in all quadrants compared to eyes with AL ≤ 22 mm (p ≤ 0.002).
- A weak negative correlation between AL and CS was observed (r = -0.125 to -0.212), with AL independently associated with lower CS after adjusting for age, sex, and central corneal thickness (CCT).
Conclusions:
- Corneal sensitivity (CS) varies across different axial length (AL) groups in pediatric eyes, being notably lower in eyes with AL ≥ 26 mm.
- The association between longer axial length and reduced corneal sensitivity persists even after adjusting for key demographic and ocular parameters.
- These findings provide preliminary reference data for pediatric CS and suggest that axial elongation may impact corneal sensory function, warranting further investigation.
Purpose:
To investigate the relationship between axial length (AL) and corneal sensitivity (CS) in healthy pediatric eyes and to establish preliminary corneal sensitivity reference values across different AL groups.
Methods:
This prospective, cross-sectional study included 353 children aged 5-18 years. AL was categorized into four groups: ≤22 mm, 22.01-23.99 mm, 24.0-25.99 mm, and ≥ 26 mm. CS was assessed in five corneal quadrants (central, superior, inferior, nasal, temporal) using a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer. Subgroup analyses were performed according to age groups. Non-parametric statistical analyses were applied to compare sensitivity values among AL groups.
Results:
CS differed significantly across AL groups in all measured quadrants (overall p-values: central p = 0.005; superior p = 0.009; inferior p < 0.001; nasal p < 0.001; temporal p < 0.001). In eyes with AL≥26 mm, corneal sensitivity was significantly reduced in all quadrants compared with the AL≤22 mm group (all p ≤ 0.002). However, not all pairwise comparisons reached statistical significance, particularly those involving the 22.01-23.99 mm and 24.0-25.99 mm groups. Spearman correlation demonstrated a weak negative association between AL and CS across all quadrants (r = - 0.125 to - 0.212, p = 0.019 to < 0.001). In the primary adjusted model including age, sex, and CCT, AL remained independently associated with lower corneal sensitivity across all corneal quadrants.
Conclusion:
In pediatric eyes, CS differed across AL groups and was lower in eyes with AL≥26 mm. This association remained evident after adjustment for age, sex, and CCT; however, given the uneven distribution of age-stratified subgroups, these findings should be interpreted with caution. These results provide preliminary reference data for pediatric corneal sensitivity and suggest that axial elongation may be associated with alterations in corneal sensory function.
