Corneal confocal microscopy is a rapid and above all non-invasive imaging method, which enables in vivo corneal sub-basal nerve fiber visualization. This method allows us to observe nerve fiber pathology in various neurological disorders, especially those affecting small nerve fibers.
Several studies compared this method to methods currently used in the clinical setting in the diagnostics of these diseases and have confirmed the utility of this method as a tool for early detection of peripheral neuropathy, as well as its suitability for evaluating clinical trial outcomes in various disorders. While extended trials confirming the validity of this method, are still missing, current results make a strong argument for its application in clinical use.
One of the reasons for its currently scarce application is low availability, but with further research and results, this method has the potential for wider applications in academic as well as clinical use. Our goal was to summarize current literature concerning the use of this method in nerve fiber imaging in various neurological diseases.