Not Medical Advice: The cornea is the eye’s outermost layer. It is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye.
Although the cornea is clear and seems to lack substance, it is actually a highly organized group of cells and proteins. Unlike most tissues in the body, the cornea contains no blood vessels to nourish or protect it against infection. Instead, the cornea receives its nourishment from the tears and aqueous humor (a fluid in the anterior portion of the eye) that fills the chamber behind it.
The cornea must remain transparent to refract light properly, and the presence of even the tiniest blood vessels can interfere with this process. To see well, all layers of the cornea must be free of any cloudy or opaque areas.
The corneal tissue is arranged in five basic layers, each having an important function. These five layers are:
Epithelium: the cornea’s outermost region, comprising about 10 percent of the tissue’s thickness.
Bowman’s Layer: Lying directly below the basement membrane of the epithelium is a transparent sheet of tissue known as Bowman’s layer.
Stroma: Beneath Bowman’s layer is the stroma, which comprises about 90 percent of the cornea’s thickness.
Descemet’s Membrane: Under the stroma is Descemet’s membrane, a thin but strong sheet of tissue that serves as a protective barrier against infection and injuries.
Endothelium: is the extremely thin, innermost layer of the cornea.
To get more facts about cornea visit National Eye Institute.
Protecting your eyesight is one of the most important things you can do to help maintain your quality of life. Some type of sight-threatening eye problem affects one in six adults age 45 and older. And the risk for vision loss only increases with age. To protect your eyesight and keep your eyes healthy as you age, consider these simple guidelines shared by Allaboutvision.com.