Corneal Epithelial "Neuromas": A Case of Mistaken Identity?

Authors

Mary Ann Stepp, School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Sonali Pal-Ghosh, School of Medicine and Health Sciences
Laura E. Downie, University of Melbourne
Alexis Ceecee Zhang, University of Melbourne
Holly R. Chinnery, University of Melbourne
Joshua Machet, UNSW Sydney
Nick Di Girolamo, UNSW Sydney

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

7-1-2020

Journal

Cornea

Volume

39

Issue

7

DOI

10.1097/ICO.0000000000002294

Abstract

Laser scanning in vivo confocal microscopy is a useful clinical tool to assess the corneal nerves in human and laboratory animals. With this new technology, the use of terms such as "neuromas" and "microneuromas" is becoming popular to describe nerve structures seen in humans. Here, we point out that the sites where stromal nerves enter the corneal epithelium are often hyperreflective and can appear dysmorphic when imaged using in vivo confocal microscopy. Furthermore, we clarify what is known anatomically about how the nerves enter the corneal epithelium from the stroma, and we urge colleagues to differentiate between hyperreflective foci at the corneal stromal-epithelial nerve penetration sites and alterations in nerve morphology secondary to injury or disease.

APA Citation

Stepp, M., Pal-Ghosh, S., Downie, L., Zhang, A., Chinnery, H., Machet, J., & Di Girolamo, N. (2020). Corneal Epithelial "Neuromas": A Case of Mistaken Identity?. Cornea, 39 (7). http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/ICO.0000000000002294