Cornea facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Cornea
Schematic diagram of the eye
Gray's	subject #225 1070

The cornea is the front part of the eye. It is the clear transparent section of the eye which that covers the iris, pupil, and the eye chamber. It is a very special form of tissue because the cornea is clear, has no blood vessels, and has nerves with no myelin sheaths on them.

The cornea, with the lens, refracts light. The cornea and the lens bend light so the image strikes the retina. The cornea does about two-thirds of this refraction.

Dua's layer is a newly discovered layer of the cornea. It was described in June 2013. It is the sixth layer of the cornea to be discovered. Despite its thinness, the layer is very strong, and air cannot get through it.

Images for kids

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  Vertical section of human cornea from near the margin. (Waldeyer.) Magnified. 1: Epithelium. 2: Anterior elastic lamina. 3: substantia propria. 4: Posterior elastic lamina (Descemet's membrane). 5: Endothelium of the anterior chamber. a: Oblique fibers in the anterior layer of the substantia propria. b: Lamellæ the fibers of which are cut across, producing a dotted appearance. c: Corneal corpuscles appearing fusiform in section. d: Lamellæ the fibers of which are cut longitudinally. e: Transition to the sclera, with more distinct fibrillation, and surmounted by a thicker epithelium. f: Small blood vessels cut across near the margin of the cornea.

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  Corneal cross-section imaged by an SD-OCT

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  The cornea becomes opaque after death
  (provenance: genus Bos)

See also

In Spanish: Córnea para niños