Corneal Confocal Microscopy in the Diagnosis of Small Fiber Neuropathy: Faster, Easier, and More Efficient Than Skin Biopsy?

Chronic pain may affect 30-50% of the world's population and an important cause is small fiber neuropathy (SFN). Recent research suggests that autoimmune diseases may be one of the most common causes of small nerve fiber damage. There is low awareness of SFN among patients and clinicians and it is difficult to diagnose as routine electrophysiological methods only detect large fiber abnormalities, and specialized small fiber tests, like skin biopsy and quantitative sensory testing, are not routinely available.