Home Eye Care Services Cornea

What Is the Cornea?

Your cornea is the clear multi-layered tissue that covers your iris and pupil. It is one of the most critical parts of your eyes, and as the part that directly faces the world, it is exposed to dangers. The cornea is what allows light to enter your eye, and many of the refractive light issues a person may have with their vision, such as near and farsightedness, are caused by the shape of the cornea.

Because the cornea sits at the front of the eye and plays such a prominent role in your ability to focus, any damage it sustains can significantly affect your vision. There are a number of common corneal conditions, including corneal abrasions.

Cornea Photo

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Corneal Conditions and Treatment
  • Scratched Cornea: Caused by distress or damage to the cornea of the eye, this may lead to feeling like there is a foreign object in the eye, a burning sensation or even double vision and blurring. Treatment could include pain relief, and generally requires the eye to be bandaged tightly for a period of time based on the size of the scratch.
  • Corneal Diseases: These range from degenerative conditions to small infections. These can be quite serious, or become so, and because the cornea is such an integral part of vision it is important to seek fast treatment if you suspect you have a corneal disease.
  • Keratoconus: Often referred to as “KC,” keratoconus is a non-inflammatory eye condition in which the typically round dome-shaped cornea progressively thins and weakens, causing the development of a cone-like bulge and optical irregularity of the cornea. This causes “static” in your vision and can result in significant visual impairment. Corneal cross-linking is a minimally invasive outpatient procedure to slow or halt the progression of keratoconus.

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