What is Cornea?

The transparent outermost layer of the human eye is Cornea. Anatomically, Cornea consists of five layers. The primary role of Cornea isto focus the vision by refracting light from an object in a way that it falls at the perfect spot on the retina thus enabling sharpness of vision. Apart from this, Cornea also protects the eye from dust and germs from entering into the internal layers of the eye.

Common problems of Cornea

The corneal surface and its structure are very delicate. Any injury or infection of the cornea can lead to damage leading to loss of corneal transparency and thereby disrupting the normal vision. Common problems are:

• Corneal Ulcers,
• Keratitis (inflammation of the cornea)
• Keratoconus (thinning of the cornea)
• Allergies & Corneal abrasions caused by external injuries
• Corneal Opacities / Scarring

 Symptoms

• Pain
• Redness
• Watering / discharge
• Reduced Vision
• Photophobia i.e. Inability to open eyes in bright light
• Swelling of the eyelid

Diagnosis

Any problem of the Cornea can be diagnosed through an eye examination by using a special eye microscope known as a slit lamp. If there is an ulcer on the cornea it can be seen very clearly by putting a drop of fluorescein dye in the eye. Scrapings of the ulcer may be sent to the laboratory for identification of bacteria, fungi, or viruses. In case of Keratoconus apart from slit lamp examination Pachymetry (to check corneal thickness), Keratometry (to measure the corneal curvature) and Keratoscopy are done.

Treatment

In case of Corneal infection, the treatment depends on the type of infection which could be caused by bacteria, virus or fungus. Depending on the cause, specific medications for that infection are given to help faster recovery. Diseases require multi-modality of medications which help in reducing the symptoms and curing the disease. Also, these diseases take a very long duration of treatment and frequent follow-ups. The most important factor for early healing and recovery is patient’s compliance to use medications religiously as per the instructions.

When to call your doctor

If there is irritation, pain, redness, watering / discharge, reduced vision or swelling of the lid you should immediately see an ophthalmologist without any delay.

Know more about Ocular Surface Disorders:

1. Pterygium