Ophthalmology, Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA; Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
Ophthalmology, Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA; Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA; Research Services, Miami Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USA.
Exp Eye Res. 2021 Jan;202:108284. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2020.108284. Epub 2020 Oct 10.
The trigeminal nerve gives rise to the corneal subbasal nerve system, which plays a crucial role in sensations of touch, pain, and temperature and in ocular healing processes. Technological advancements in instruments, in particular in vivo confocal microscopy and aethesiometry, have allowed for the structural and functional evaluation of corneal nerves in health and disease. Through application of these technologies in humans and animal models, structural and functional abnormalities have been detected in several ocular and systemic disorders, including dry eye disease (DED), glaucoma, migraine, and fibromyalgia. However, studies across a number of conditions have found that structural abnormalities do not always relate to functional abnormalities. This review will discuss instruments used to evaluate corneal nerves and summarize data on nerve abnormalities in a number of ocular and systemic conditions. Furthermore, it will discuss potential treatments that can alleviate the main manifestations of nerve dysfunction, namely ocular surface pain and persistent epithelial defects.
三叉神经起源于角膜基底下神经丛，在触觉、疼痛和温度感觉以及眼部愈合过程中起着至关重要的作用。仪器技术的进步，特别是在体共聚焦显微镜和触觉测定术，使得在健康和疾病状态下对角膜神经的结构和功能评估成为可能。通过在人类和动物模型中应用这些技术，已经在几种眼部和系统性疾病中检测到结构和功能异常，包括干眼症（DED）、青光眼、偏头痛和纤维肌痛。然而，多项研究发现，结构异常并不总是与功能异常相关。本综述将讨论用于评估角膜神经的仪器，并总结在几种眼部和系统性疾病中神经异常的数据。此外，还将讨论可以缓解神经功能障碍主要表现（即眼表面疼痛和持续性上皮缺损）的潜在治疗方法。
