Table 2.

Data of Confocal Microscopy in Living Subjects. Quantification of Nerve Fibers in Sub‐Basal Plexus of the Human cornea

Nervous structures	Younger subjects (n = 10)	Older subjects (n = 10)	P b
Number of nerve fibers × mm2 a	16.7 ± 3.2	6.6 ± 1.7	<0.0001
Percentage of total area occupied by nerve fibersa	31.4 ± 2.8	18.5 ± 1.9	<0.0001
Nervous varicositiesa	9.6 ± 3.7	3.4 ± 1.1	<0.0001
Nerve fibers crossingsa	18.3 ± 4.1	7.9 ± 2.6	<0.0001
Total perimeters of nerve fibersa	41.6 ± 5.2	26.5 ± 3.6	<0.0001

^aThe results are expressed in C.U. ± SEM in every optical field.

^b P is of high significance if <0.001.