In vivo Surface Morphology of the Human Cornea by Color Microscopy

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Abstract
We have employed the wide-field specular microscope in combination with color photography in the use of water soluble stains to study the surface morphology of 10 normal subjects. Based on size, three populations of corneal cells are discerned: small, medium, and large cells. Thirty-two percent of the cells were small, approximately 67% were medium, and less than 1% were large cells. Uptake by either rose bengal or fluorescein dye was rare, and when it did occur, it was more frequent in medium and large cells. These observations are consistent with the previously advanced hypothesis that small cells represent younger cells, which as they age become larger and eventually develop areas of discontinuity in their cell surface. The use of this technique to study pathological eyes should be valuable in discerning changing patterns of cellular exposure, maturation, and exfoliation.

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