The anatomy of corneal nerves

Abstract Here we review the latest findings elucidating the anatomy and organization of the corneal nerves, with a focus on the nature of the subbasal nerve plexus in humans, in both health and disease. The subbasal nerves are an important landmark for the study of corneal innervation, as these are the source of epithelial nerves and thus a surrogate marker for the health of the epithelium and the cornea. Across a range of disease states, these nerves are perturbed or lost due to degeneration, with specific patterns of corneal nerve change and loss being apparent. We will further review the latest techniques used to visualize and quantify the corneal nerves in humans, and examine the benefits and potential pitfalls of using in vivo confocal microscopy for the examination, quantification and assessment of corneal nerves in the clinic, for both eye disease and a range of systemic diseases.