Cornea

Cornea is the clear outer layer of the eye that helps to focus the light and to see clearly. Tears and the aqueous humour (fluid in the anterior chamber), provide the cornea with nutrients.

Cornea is densely innervated with nerve fibres which make it one of the most sensitive tissues of the body. Any injury to the structure can be extremely painful.

Some of the conditions that affect the cornea include:

• Injuries – Minor abrasions heal on their own but deeper injuries may lead to scarring and visual problems.
• Allergies
• Kertatitis – redness, swelling and inflammation of the cornea, often related to contact lens wear.
• Dry eye – tears might be inadequate or unstable and unable to provide the necessary lubrication. This may cause discomfort and your eyes may sting, burn and water. This is usually exacerbated in
  certain situations like sitting next to air-conditioner or spending long hours in front of a computer.

Dry eyes can also be caused by menopause, eye lid conditions, different medical conditions, medications and irritants.

• Corneal dystrophy – group of geneঞc disorders that lead to accumulation of abnormal material in the cornea that may cause mild to severe vision loss.
• Keratoconus – Keratoconus is a condition where cornea becomes cone shaped and progressively thinner leading to reduced and distorted vision.
• Pterygium – abnormal growth on your conjunctiva that may become large enough to cover parts of cornea and affect the vision. While small pterygiums may be only observed, larger ones may require surgical excision.