To determine normal corneal sensitivity and its changes by age in an Iranian population.

The corneal sensitivity of the right eyes of 596 subjects aged 15 to 81 were measured using Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer. The subjects were divided into six age groups of 15-25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65 and >65 years old as the age groups of 1 to 6 respectively. The central region of cornea and four corneal regions of nasal, inferior, temporal and superior at 2 mm away from limbus were tested.

There was a significant main effect of corneal region (F=14.55, p=0.000) and also a significant main effect of age group (F=83.89, p=0.000) on corneal sensitivity. There was a significant interaction between age group and corneal region (F=1.80, p=0.018). There was not a statistically significant difference of corneal sensitivity (0.67?P?0.96) between the age groups of 1 and 2. There was a statistically significant difference for all corneal regions among all age groups (0.000?P?0.031), except between the age groups of 4 and 5 for inferior region (P=0.15) and the age groups of 5 and 6 for all peripheral regions (0.19?P?0.74).

Tested corneal region and age are predictors of corneal sensitivity.