title: In vivo confocal microscopy of bleb-like disorder in epithelial basement membrane dystrophy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the confocal microscopic appearance of bleb-like disorder in epithelial basement membrane dystrophy (EBMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two subjects with bleb-like disorder in EBMD were examined with slit-lamp biomicroscopy and in vivo confocal microscopy using the Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II/Rostock Cornea Module. A sample obtained from epithelial debridement from 1 subject provided histologic correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Confocal microscopy showed areas of circular and irregular hyporeflectivity ranging from 30 to 150 μm in diameter at the level of the basal epithelium and Bowman layer, with apparent fragmentation of the subbasal nerve plexus. The stroma, Descemet membrane, and corneal endothelium appeared normal. The epithelial biopsy results revealed subepithelial deposits of material anterior to the Bowman layer that stained positively with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This clinicopathologic correlation of bleb-like disorder in EBMD using confocal microscopy demonstrates the distinctive morphology of this disorder. It provides additional information to help with the interpretation of confocal images.
authors: External Disease Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. scott.hau@moorfields.nhs.uk
authors: Scott C
authors: SC
authors: Hau
authors: Stephen J
authors: SJ
authors: Tuft
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D001768:Blister / Q000473:pathology*; D050541:Bowman Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D003317:Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008875:Middle Aged