[Early diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy based on the results of corneal nerve fibers examination].

Unlabelled: Laser corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is a method of objective visualization of thin corneal nerve fibers (CNF), the structure of which changes in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

Purpose: To conduct comparative analysis of the results of CNF assessment using CCM and other known neurological instrumental techniques as well as evaluate their applicability to the early diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN).

Material And Methods: We examined a total of 46 patients (85 eyes) with type 1 DM and either subclinical (24 patients), or clinical-stage DPN (22 patients) and 50 patients (87 eyes) with type 2 DM (subclinical DPN in 27 patients and clinical-stage DPN in 23 patients).

[The effect of the tear film on the results of a direct assessment of the sensitivity of the cornea].

Unlabelled: Attempts to find clinical application for esthesiometry are associated with studying sensitivity disorders that occur in various diseases (diabetes mellitus, keratitis of various etiologies, corneal erosion, dry eye syndrome), as well as after surgical interventions.

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of the tear film on the results of direct assessment of corneal sensitivity.

Material And Methods: The study was conducted in a group of 20 healthy volunteers.

[Anatomical and functional features of corneal nerve fibers and methods of their evaluation].

Condition of the ocular surface greatly depends on functional integrity of corneal nerve fibers. Improving the methods used to study corneal nerve fibers allows their condition to be timely evaluated and adequately interpreted. The article reviews the structure, function, chemical composition of corneal nerve fibers, specifics of their innervation, as well as application of modern methods of their evaluation in diagnostics of various pathological conditions.

[Clinical features and diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy].

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is a serious complication of diabetes that leads to early disability in patients if late diagnosed. There has been a lot of research into pathophysiological mechanisms of nerve fiber damage and risk factors for neurological complications of diabetes. Early diagnosis of the latter is quite a challenge and, thus, the problem of finding more reliable diagnostic modalities is rather pressing.