cornea /cor·nea/ (kor´ne-ah) the transparent anterior part of the eye. cor´neal 
Cornea
cornea
cornea (kor´nē
),
Patient discussion about corneas.
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conical cornea keratoconus.
cor·ne·a (kôr n - )n. The transparent, convex, anterior portion of the outer fibrous coat of the eyeball that covers the iris and the pupil and is continuous with the sclera. cor ne·al adj. |
Cornea
Clear, bowl-shaped structure at the front of the eye. It is located in front of the colored part of the eye (iris). The cornea lets light into the eye and partially focuses it.
Mentioned in: Cataract Surgery, Corneal Abrasion, Corneal Transplantation, Exophthalmos, Eye Cancer, Eye Examination, Eye Glasses and Contact Lenses, Foreign Objects, Glaucoma, Hyperopia, Inclusion Conjunctivitis, Laser Surgery, Myopia, Photorefractive Keratectomy and Laser-Assisted In-Situ Keratomileusis, Pinguecula and Pterygium, Radial Keratotomy, Sjögren's Syndrome, Starvation, Tarsorrhaphy, Tissue Typing, Trabeculectomy, Trachoma, Uveitis, Visual Impairment, Vitamin A Deficiency
cornea
[kôr′nē·ə]
Etymology: L, corneus, horny
the convex, transparent anterior part of the eye, comprising one sixth of the outermost tunic of the eye bulb. It allows light to pass through it to the lens. The cornea is a fibrous structure with five layers: the anterior corneal epithelium, continuous with that of the conjunctiva; the anterior limiting layer (Bowman's membrane); the substantia propria; the posterior limiting layer (Descemet's membrane); and the endothelium of the anterior chamber (keratoderma). It is dense, uniform in thickness, and nonvascular, and it projects like a dome beyond the sclera, which forms the other five sixths of the eye's outermost tunic. The degree of corneal curvature varies among different individuals and in the same person at different ages; the curvature is more pronounced in youth than in advanced age. corneal, adj.
cornea (kor´nē
),n the transparent anterior part of the eye.
cornea
the clear, transparent anterior segment of the fibrous tunic of the eye. The cornea is subject to injury by foreign bodies in the eye, and bacterial and viral infections. See also corneal, keratitis, keratopathy.
cornea nigrum
see corneal sequestrum.
cornea plana
a congenital flattening of the cornea.
cornea
The transparent anterior portion of the fibrous coat of the globe of the eye. It has a curvature somewhat greater than the rest of the globe, so a slight furrow marks its junction with the sclera. Looked at from the front the cornea is about 12 mm horizontally and 11 mm vertically. It is the first and most important refracting surface of the eye, having a power of about 42 D. The anterior surface has a radius of curvature of about 7.8 m, the posterior surface 6.5 mm, and the central thickness is about 0.5 mm. It consists of five layers, starting from the outside: (1) the stratified squamous epithelium; (2) Bowman's layer; (3) the stroma (substantia propria); (4) Descemet's membrane; and (5) the endothelium. The cornea is avascular, receiving its nourishment by permeation through spaces between the lamellae. The sources of nourishment are the aqueous humour, the tears and the limbal capillaries. The cornea is innervated by the long ciliary and other nerves of the surrounding conjunctiva, which are all branches of the ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve. Innervation is entirely sensory. Within the cornea there are only unmyelinated nerve endings. The density of nerves in the cornea is very high, making it the most sensitive structure in the body. The major structural component of the cornea is collagen, mostly type I, and most of the ground substance between the collagen fibrils in the corneal stroma is proteoglycans whose core proteins bind with keratan sulfate and dermatan sulfate (chondroitin sulfate B). The cornea owes its transparency to the regular arrangement of the collagen fibrils, but any factor that affects this lattice structure (e.g. swelling, pressure) results in a loss of transparency. The cornea contains some 78% water, some 15% collagen and some 5% of other proteins (Fig. C18). See endothelial bedewing; corneal stroma; corneal topography; dellen; deturgescence; dyskeratosis; glycosaminoglycan; keratitis; keratomycosis; Hudson-Stahli line; Bowman's layer; Descemet's membrane; microcornea; specular microscope; optical zone of cornea; pachometer; Maurice's theory; Hurler's syndrome; videokeratoscope.
conical cornea See keratoconus.
cornea farinata A bilateral corneal degeneration characterized by faint dust-like opacities in the deep stroma. They do not impair vision and are usually age-related.
cornea guttata Dystrophy of the endothelial cells of the cornea which may result from corneal trauma, cataract surgery, keratic precipitates, tonography, ageing, continuous contact lens wear, or as part of the early stages of Fuch's endothelial dystrophy (a disease associated with ageing and with females more than males). It is seen clinically by slit-lamp examination as black spherules in the endothelial pattern. The condition is bilateral, although one eye may be affected more than the other. As the condition progresses the cornea becomes oedematous with a consequent loss of vision and eventually turns into bullous keratopathy. If the degenerated cells are located at the periphery of the cornea they are called Hassall-Henle bodies and are of no clinical significance except as an indication of ageing. Syn. corneal guttae; endothelial corneal dystrophy. See specular reflection illumination; keratic precipitates.
optical zone of cornea See optical zone of cornea.
cornea plana A rare, congenital, usually bilateral condition in which the corneal curvature is flatter than normal with a significant decrease in refractive power. The eye is usually hyperopic with a shallow anterior chamber often resulting in angle-closure glaucoma. There is some degree of peripheral scleralization and it is closely associated with sclerocornea.
conical cornea See keratoconus.
cornea farinata A bilateral corneal degeneration characterized by faint dust-like opacities in the deep stroma. They do not impair vision and are usually age-related.
cornea guttata Dystrophy of the endothelial cells of the cornea which may result from corneal trauma, cataract surgery, keratic precipitates, tonography, ageing, continuous contact lens wear, or as part of the early stages of Fuch's endothelial dystrophy (a disease associated with ageing and with females more than males). It is seen clinically by slit-lamp examination as black spherules in the endothelial pattern. The condition is bilateral, although one eye may be affected more than the other. As the condition progresses the cornea becomes oedematous with a consequent loss of vision and eventually turns into bullous keratopathy. If the degenerated cells are located at the periphery of the cornea they are called Hassall-Henle bodies and are of no clinical significance except as an indication of ageing. Syn. corneal guttae; endothelial corneal dystrophy. See specular reflection illumination; keratic precipitates.
optical zone of cornea See optical zone of cornea.
cornea plana A rare, congenital, usually bilateral condition in which the corneal curvature is flatter than normal with a significant decrease in refractive power. The eye is usually hyperopic with a shallow anterior chamber often resulting in angle-closure glaucoma. There is some degree of peripheral scleralization and it is closely associated with sclerocornea.
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Fig. C18 Diagram showing the various layers of the cornea (k, keratocytes)
Patient discussion about corneas.
Q. Has anyone had experience with a corneal transplant because of keratoconus?
A. my uncle had to do a transplant- it took 5 weeks until he could see anything , another year to get his vision straightened up. but now he is fine! i know that he looked for information in the "National Keratoconus Foundation". they were very helpful (and nice!), they have a website with information on all forms of treatment:
http://www.nkcf.org/
good luck :)
Read more or ask a question about corneashttp://www.nkcf.org/
good luck :)
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