“Microscopia confocale (CS3) : Analisi dei nervi corneali del Glaucoma ad Angolo Aperto”.

The Confoscan 3 is a new diagnostic tool used to evaluate microscopic and morphological aspects of the cornea in vivo. We used the Confoscan 3 ( CS3) to evaluate the microscopic corneal findings in the open angle glaucoma ( POAG ). We took in consideration 40 exams executed with the CS3 presenting four complete scans of the entire cornea: 20 patients affected with open angle glaucoma ( POAG ) under pharmacological treatment with 0,5% Timolol Maleate, since two years; 10 patients with an untreated ocular Hypertension ( OH ) IOP -----> 21 mmHg ; 10 healthy subjects ( NO). The nervous plexus showed a different distribution in the three groups. The exams performed by the CS3 in glaucomatous patients revealed microscopical nervous plexus alterations of the cornea unsuspected by the conventional biomicroscopy.This alterations could be a reactive answer of the corneal nerves to the ocular ipertension .this alterations results irreversible too when the IOP is bright in normal values by the local pharmacological therapy