Corneal confocal microscopy is a new, non-invasive imaging method. It provides serial images of a face optical sections through the full-thickness of the living cornea, avoiding artefacts associated with ex vivo study. It provides qualitative as well as quantitative analysis of the corneal layers, nerves, and cells. It also allows longitudinal examination of the corneal structure changes over time.
The purpose of this article is to describe the principles and capabilities of the currently available corneal confocal microscopes, and possible applications of this tool.