Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate the stromal corneal nerves differences between normal patients and fibromyalgia patients.
Methods:
16 eyes of 8 normal patients (group A) and 18 eyes of 9 fibromyalgia patients (group B) were examined with the confocal microscope (Confoscan 4, Fortune Technologies, Italy), a central scan of the total corneal thickness was taken. Corneal stromal nerves morphology and thickness were evaluated by using the Navis v. 3.5.0. Software (NIDEK, Multi-Instrument Diagnostic System, Japan). Nerve thickness was obtained from the mean between the widest and the narrowest portion of each stromal nerve.
Results:
Corneal stromal nerves were observed as irregular linear hiper-reflective structures with widest and narrowest portions in all cases. Mean corneal stromal nerves thickness in group A was 6.3 ± 1.9, range from 2.9 to 11.4 microns, mean corneal stromal nerves thickness in group B was was 5.8 ± 1.7 range from 2.7 to 11.4 microns . There was not statistical significant difference (P= 0.189) in stromal corneal thickness between group A and group B.
Conclusions:
Stromal corneal nerves morphology and thickness was similar in both groups.
Keywords: 479 cornea: clinical science •
484 cornea: stroma and keratocytes •
610 nerve fiber layer