Posters

Corneal confocal microscopy in diabetic patients

Poster Details

First Author: S.Fazio ITALY

Co Author(s): P. Mellace   F. Martino   E. Polito              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the role of corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) in the diagnosis of morphologic damage of the corneal sub-basal nerve plexus in diabetic patients and to correlate corneal confocal microscopy findings with severity diabetic disease.

Setting:

Ophthalmology Unit, Department of Medical, Surgical and Neurosciences - Siena University, Italy

Methods:

In this prospective study were measured the corneal nerve fiber density (CNFD) in twenty-eight patients with diabetes (DM group) and twenty-four healthycontrol subjects using a Heidelberg Retina Tomograph with Rostock Cornea Module.

Results:

The total CNFD were significantly shorter in the DM group than in the control group and tended to decrease with progression of diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy.

Conclusions:

CCM represents a new tool in the diagnosis, clinical evaluation, and follow-up of peripheral diabetic neuropathy. Diabetes damages corneal nerves, particularly the corneal sub-basal nerve plexus. This damage may be documentedusing CCM.

Financial Disclosure:

None