The cornea acts like a window, controlling how much light that enters your eye. If you look at your eye in a mirror, you may notice that there is a clear surface covering your iris and pupil. This is your cornea.
While the cornea may appear to lack substance, it is actually very intricate and contains highly organized cells and proteins. The cornea is nourished by the tears and aqueous humor, a fluid that sits in the chamber behind the cornea. The cornea contains no blood vessels to nourish and protect it against infection, unlike other tissues in the body. This is because the cornea needs to be completely clear to refract light correctly, and keep your vision at its best.
Even though the cornea copes well with minor injuries. If, for instance, dirt scratches the cornea, epithelial cells quickly work to patch the injury before infection can occur. However, if the scratch penetrates more deeply, the healing process takes longer, causing pain, blurred vision, tearing, redness and sensitivity. These symptoms may require professional treatment.
Some conditions that affect the cornea include:
- keratoconus
- Fuch's dystrophy
- conjunctivitis
- ocular herpes
- microbial infections (keratitis)
Kaufman Eye Institute, one of Florida's leading ophthalmology centers, is home to highly qualified corneal specialists, here to help you improve your vision. We want you to walk into our office well informed, at ease, and knowing that you are getting the best care Florida has to offer. If you find that you have any questions, please contact us at any of our convenient locations in Zephyrhills, Sun City Center, Bushnell or Wesley Chapel.
If you would like to request an appointment with us, please give us a call or request an appointment online!