The Role of Innervation in Ocular Surface Homeostasis, Tissue Remodeling Following Nerve Injury, and the Therapeutic Potential of Hemocomponents in Neuronal and Cicatricial Pathologies

TL;DR

This paper explores how eye nerves affect eye health, how nerve damage leads to eye diseases, and how blood-based treatments might help repair nerve and tissue damage.

Contribution

The paper introduces the therapeutic potential of hemocomponents in treating neuronal and cicatricial ocular pathologies.

Findings

Corneal innervation is crucial for maintaining ocular surface integrity and visual function.

Nerve injury can lead to neurotrophic keratopathy, neuropathic pain, and pathological remodeling.

Blood-derived eye drops may support epithelial repair and nerve regeneration but require standardization.

Abstract

The ocular surface is a neuro–epithelial–immune unit in which corneal innervation is essential for maintaining tissue integrity and visual function. Sensory nerves regulate reflex tearing and blinking, provide trophic support, and modulate local immune responses. Nerve injury resulting from trauma, surgery, infection, systemic disease, or chronic inflammation disrupts epithelial homeostasis and may lead to neurotrophic keratopathy, neuropathic pain, and pathological remodeling. Beyond classical neurotrophic disease, nerve dysfunction contributes to severe dry eye and immune-mediated cicatricial disorders. Depending on the neuro-inflammatory context, remodeling may evolve toward stromal thinning, as in keratoconus, or progressive fibrosis, as in ocular cicatricial pemphigoid. Blood-derived eye drops, including serum- and platelet-based formulations, represent biologically active therapies that support epithelial repair and nerve regeneration, although greater standardization is needed.

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