Corneal sensitivity is reduced and relates to the severity of neuropathy in patients with diabetes. Diabetes Care 2007;30:1895–1897

The focus in relation to the consequences of nerve damage in diabetes has been with the loss of sensation in the feet predisposing to the development of foot ulceration and lower extremity amputation (1). However, the cornea is 300-600 times more sensitive than skin (2). In addition to serving a protective function, corneal nerves regulate corneal epithelial integrity, proliferation and wound healing (3). In diabetic patients corneal sensitivity is reduced (4), due to a loss of corneal nerve fibers (5) which leads to corneal keratopathy (6, 7) and a susceptibility to injury with recurrent erosions and ulcer