Have you ever learned about the different parts of the eye? Do you wonder what they all do?
While there are many parts of the eye, the cornea is one of the most important ones. But what does the cornea do? Keep reading to find out more about this important part of the eye!
What is the cornea?
The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye. It is clear and is a surface shaped like a dome.
It completely covers the front of the eye. Also, it plays a large role in focusing your vision.
What are the parts of the cornea?
We know that the cornea is the outermost part of the eye, but does the cornea have different parts? The answer is yes.
While the cornea looks clear and like it doesn’t do anything, it is a complicated tissue. The cornea is unique, and doesn’t have any blood vessels.
This means there’s no way to feed the cornea or protect it from infection. This is unusual, as most tissues have blood vessels.
Instead, the cornea is fed by fluids from behind the cornea and from tears.
The cornea is made up of three simple layers and two membranes between the layers. Each layer is very important.
The different layers are the Epithelium, Bowman’s Membrane, Stroma, Descemet’s Membrane and the Endothelium. Each of these layers plays an important role in what the cornea does.
What does the cornea do?
This multilayered part of the eye does many things. One of the many roles the cornea plays is acting as a barrier. The cornea protects the eye from germs, dirt and any other particles that can hurt it.
Other parts of the eye that also protect the eye are eye sockets, tears, eyelids and the white part of the eye (sclera).
Also, the cornea is an important part of how we see. It helps focus the light that enters the eye.
The cornea handles about 65 – 75% of the eye’s ability to focus. The cornea and lens of the eye work together.
They help focus light on the retina (the tissue in the back of the eye that is sensitive to light). When light hits the cornea, it refracts the light onto the lens.
Then the lens focuses the light onto the retina. The retina then begins the process of translating the light into an image.
The retina turns the light into electrical currents. These then travel in the optic nerve to the brain, and it reads them as images.
This entire process in the eye is like how a camera takes pictures. The camera lens is the cornea and lens.
The retina serves as the film or image device. When the image does not focus correctly, the retina creates a blurry image.
Finally, the cornea helps filter out harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. If the eye did not have this protective layer, then the lens and retina would be harmed by UV rays.
Are you ready to schedule a comprehensive eye exam? Getting a comprehensive eye exam is the best way to make sure that your cornea is healthy.
Schedule an appointment at Omaha Eye & Laser Institute in Lincoln, NE today!
