Cornea / External Eye Diseases
An easy way to understand the function of the cornea is to think about the eye as a camera. The cornea would be the glass on the front of the lens.
The cornea is a clear "window" through which light passes into the eye. It provides most of the focusing power. Corneal injury, disease, or hereditary conditions can cause clouding, distortion, and scarring.
Corneal clouding, similar to frost on a window-pane or dirty smudges on a camera lens, block the clear passage of light into the retina, reducing sight sometimes even to the point of blindness. Corneal injury and disease can sometimes be intensely painful.
What can cause corneal injury?
Nearly any foreign object can injure the eye, especially the cornea, the most exposed part of the eye. Protection of the cornea is the reason emergency washing of the eye is absolutely necessary when the eye is exposed to toxic chemicals. Most corneal injuries are preventable with protective glasses and proper precautions when dealing with hazardous substances.
What causes corneal disease and degeneration?
Infections, whether bacterial, fungal, or viral are frequent causes of severe corneal damage and ulceration. Abnormal steepening of the cornea (keratoconus), degeneration occasionally following cataract surgery (corneal edema or swelling), and some aging processes can also affect the clarity and health of the cornea.
Some disorders of the cornea are inherited and can lead to clouding and loss of sight.
Learn about Treatments for Corneal Disorders
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In the news
August 31, 2023
5 Tips to Protect Your Young Athletes’ Eyes
Nearly 30,000 people suffer sports-related eye injuries every year, requiring an ER visit. Over 90% of eye-injury-related ER visits can be avoided if an athlete wears protective eyewear. Even low-intensity sports pose some risk for eye injuries
August 7, 2023
Safety at Home: Preventing Eye Injuries
Did you know that about half of all eye injuries happen at home?
Home activities that can injure your eyes include:
Cleaning - Chemicals like bleach in household cleaning products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year.
Home Improvement - Screws, nails and hand tools can launch into the air—and into your eyes. Power tools can also send wood chips or other substances flying into the air....
