Progress in the application of in vivo confocal microscopy in different types of dry eye examination

Abstract:

The pathogenesis of dry eye is complex，and various etiology will eventually lead to corneal and conjunctival injury and cause a series of eye discomfort symptoms. Understanding the pathological changes of the ocular surface in patients with dry eye is of great significance for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. In recent years，in vivo confocal microscopy（IVCM） has been increasingly used to study the microscopic world of dry eyes. IVCM is a non-invasive imaging tool that can examine the changes in corneal cells and nerve fibers noninvasively in real time，evaluate various structures such as meibomian glands，and provide better help in understanding the pathogenesis of dry eye and histological changes at the cellular level. This paper summarizes the changes of ocular surface of different types of dry eye under IVCM in order to further understand the pathological changes of each type of dry eye and assist clinical diagnosis and treatment.