Clinical applications of in vivo confocal microscopy enhance the detection and management of ocular surface disease in dogs and cats.

In vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) is a unique imaging technique that permits noninvasive evaluation of the ocular surface on the cellular level. High-resolution images of all layers of the cornea are obtained in real-time with IVCM, and the acquired images are often comparable to ex vivo histochemical analysis of corneal biopsy specimens. The basic morphological features of the healthy living cornea as viewed by IVCM are reported in many domestic animal species, and the number of published descriptions of ocular surface pathologies in companion animals is progressively expanding. There is great potential for IVCM to improve the detection, characterization, and management of diverse ocular surface diseases in companion animals. This review summarizes several established and emerging clinical applications of IVCM in companion animal ocular surface disease, including infectious keratitis, corneal foreign bodies, corneal dystrophies and degenerations, ocular surface masses, corneal endotheliitis, pigmentary keratitis, and evaluation of corneal nerves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]