| Title: |
Age Impairs Corneal Sensitivity and Reflex Tearing in Congenital Aniridia |
| Authors: |
Acosta, María Carmen; Náray, Annamária; Csidey, Mária; Maka, Erika; Nagy, Zoltán Zsolt; Jávorszky, Eszter; Zobor, Ditta; Tory, Kálmán; Cortón, Marta; Kovács, Illés; Gallar, Juana; Szentmáry, Nóra |
| Contributors: |
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades; Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital, Generalitat Valenciana |
| Source: |
Cornea ; ISSN 0277-3740 1536-4798 |
| Publisher Information: |
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Description: |
Purpose: To characterize, for the first time, corneal sensory nerve functionality in congenital aniridia by assessing mechanical and cold corneal sensitivity, reflex tearing, and basal blinking and tearing. Methods: A cohort of fourteen pediatric and adult patients with PAX6 -related aniridia was enrolled in the study. Mechanical sensitivity (noncontact gas esthesiometer) and cold sensitivity (4°C drops) were quantified using a 0 to 10 verbal numerical scale (VNS). Spontaneous blinking, basal, and CO 2 -induced reflex tearing were also measured. Data were stratified by age, aniridia-associated keratopathy (AAK), and PAX6 mutation type—reduced expression or loss-of-function (LOF) genetic variants—and compared with healthy controls (n = 9). Results: Mechanical sensitivity to high-intensity stimuli was reduced in patients with aniridia, particularly in adults (2.2 ± 0.3 VNS, P = 0.02), those with severe AAK (2.4 ± 0.4 VNS, P = 0.09), and patients with LOF mutations (2.4 ± 0.2 VNS, P = 0.05) compared with controls (3.9 ± 0.5 VNS). Cold sensitivity was also reduced in adult patients (5.5 ± 0.5 vs. 3.8 ± 0.6 VNS, P = 0.05) and severe AAK (3.2 ± 0.8 VNS, P = 0.01). Reflex tearing values exhibited variability but trended lower in patients than controls, and tearing reserve (reflex minus basal tearing) was significantly reduced (12.7 ± 3.8 vs. 1.9 ± 1.9 mm, P = 0.02). Basal blinking and tearing were not significantly different. Conclusions: These findings suggest impaired mechano-nociceptors, polymodal nociceptors, and cold thermoreceptors function in congenital aniridia, with severity increasing with age and AAK grade. LOF mutation results show a trend with greater deficits than reduced expression variants, highlighting a critical role of PAX6 in corneal sensory integrity. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.1097/ico.0000000000004117 |
| DOI: |
10.1097/ICO.0000000000004117 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.1097/ico.0000000000004117; https://journals.lww.com/10.1097/ICO.0000000000004117 |
| Rights: |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.8B13E401 |
| Database: |
BASE |