Microbial keratitis(MK)is a common corneal blind eye disease in the world. Severe keratitis can cause irreversible complications and even lead to blindness. Rapididentification of pathogen is the key for early and accurate MK treatment and a large of clinical data indicated that identifying the type of infected microorganisms accurately and quickly is still a challenge for ophthalmologists. The in vivo confocal microscopy(IVCM)is a non-invasive imaging technology that can provide high-resolution images of all corneal layers in a fast and real-time manner, has been used in the diagnosis and follow-up of corneal diseases. In recent years, with the intersection and integration of disciplines, artificial intelligence has been used to identify the characteristic structures in microbial keratitis IVCM images, which has brought important value for accurate and rapid diagnosis of microbial keratitis. Therefore, this article will review the characteristics of confocal microscopy in the diagnosis of microbial keratitis and the application of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis of microbial keratitis. It is of great significance to promote the diagnosis and treatment of keratitis in the future.