Upon evaluating corneal subbasal nerve alterations in contact lens-naive silicone hydrogel lens wearers and investigating the relationship between structural changes andcorneal sensitivity, researchers found that sensory adaptation to lens wear is not mediated through attenuation of the subbasal nerve or reduction of corneal tactile sensitivity. 

This prospective longitudinal study evaluated 20 eyes of 20 new daily SiHy lens wearers and 20 eyes of healthy controls. The team used in vivo confocal microscopy to analyze corneal subbasal nerve densities and esthesiometers to measure central corneal tactile sensitivity before and at six months of contact lens wear. 

Compared with baseline values, the study authors discovered there were no significant changes during the six-month follow-up period in the mean total nerve fiber length or  density among contact lens users. They note that the mechanical corneal sensitivity remained unaltered during this six-month period in contact lens users. They did not observe any significant changes in the subbasal nerve plexus or the corneal tactile sensitivity of the healthy controls during the study interval.