Subclinical corneal inflammation and subbasal nerve alterations in keratoconus detected by in vivo confocal microscopy: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To investigate the intracorneal inflammation and subbasal nerve alterations in keratoconus.

Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study recruited patients with keratoconus, who were diagnosed and graded the severity based on clinical examination and Schiempflug tomography. Laser in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) was performed on the corneal subbasal layer centrally to explore the inflammatory cells (ICs), subbasal nerve density (SND), and nerve tortuosity.