[Role of in vivo confocal microscopy in the management of infectious keratitis]

Abstract

Infectious keratitis remains a severe ocular condition that can lead to irreversible complications and even blindness. An early diagnosis of an infective microorganism leading to effective treatment may improve the outcome of infectious keratitis.However, the accurate and rapid identification of the infectious agent remains a challenge for the ophthalmologist.In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) is a noninvasive imaging technique that provides high-resolution images of ocular surface structures at a cellular level and infectious keratitis represents one of its most important clinical uses. The value of IVCM has been demonstrated in the diagnosis of acanthamoeba and filamentous fungal keratitis. The follow-up of such corneal infections may also be improved by this noninvasive imaging technique.However, the current resolution of IVCM limits its use in cases of bacterial and viral keratitis.