Cornea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cornea |
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The cornea is the clear, front part of your eye. Think of it like a transparent window that covers the iris (the colored part), the pupil (the black center), and the front chamber of your eye. It's a very special part because it's completely clear, has no blood vessels, and its nerves don't have a special coating called myelin. This unique design helps it work perfectly.
The cornea works with the lens inside your eye. Together, they help to bend and focus light. This bending of light makes sure that the images you see land correctly on your retina. The cornea does most of this important focusing work, about two-thirds of it!
Contents
What is the Cornea?
The cornea is a vital part of your eye's outer layer. It protects your eye from dust, germs, and other harmful things. It also plays a key role in your vision.
How the Cornea Helps You See
When light enters your eye, it first passes through the cornea. The cornea's curved shape helps to bend the light rays. This bending is called refraction. After the cornea, the light goes through the pupil and then the lens. The lens also bends the light, making sure it focuses sharply on the retina at the back of your eye. This process allows you to see clear images.
Dua's Layer: A New Discovery
Scientists are always learning new things about the human body. In June 2013, a new layer of the cornea was discovered! It's called Dua's layer. This was exciting because it's the sixth layer of the cornea to be found. Even though it's very thin, Dua's layer is surprisingly strong. It's so strong that even air cannot pass through it. This discovery helps us understand the eye even better.
Images for kids
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This picture shows a magnified view of the human cornea. You can see its different layers.
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A cross-section of the cornea, seen using a special imaging tool called SD-OCT.
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After death, the cornea becomes cloudy and loses its clear look.
See also
In Spanish: Córnea para niños
