How is the cornea adapted for its role as the major component of the eyes optical system?
- Its curved which increases refractive power, with the principal refractive surface of 42D
- Its also transparent and so transmits 90% of incident light
Assuming a section was taken from the central cornea, what would be a typical distance in microns from the anterior to posterior surface?
540-550 microns
What is the function of having a stratified squamous non keratinised epithelium on the anterior surface of the cornea?
For protection - similar to skin
What features of the superficial squamos cells of the cornea make it suitable for its function?
- tight junctions between superficial cells
- microvilli with glycocalyx (for absorption and anchoring of tear film) he glycocalyx creates a hydrophillic surface to facilitate spreading of tear film
What is the function of desosomes?
cell to cell adhesion
What is the function of hemi desosomes?
cell to stroma adhesion
What is the function of gap junctions?
Inter cellular communication
What is the function of keratocytes in the normal cornea and what is their response following corneal stromal injury?
- Theyre dendritic cells that synthesise collagen and proteoglycans
- Upon injury to the cornea are stimulated to transition into repair
What is the relationship between the organisation of the stroma and transparency?
- Collagen fibrils have a small diameter and are regularly spaced
- The intensity of the scattered light from a fibril depends on the amount of collagen with in the fibril
- So a small size would reduce the scatter
How is the endothelium adapted for its role in maintaining corneal transparency?
- They’re tight junctions between adjacent cells that limit aqueous inflow
- Endothelial ion pumps create osmotic gradient such that flow of water occurs out of the cornea
- Contain numerous mitochondria to generate ATP for active transport
How does the endothelium change with age?
- Progressive reduction in endothelial cell numbers with age
- Cells dont regenerate so existing cells have to be spread out to ensure a monolayer rather than have gaps
- There is also a variation in cell size (polymegathism) and shape (pleomorphism)
Which nerves and blood vessels traverse the sclera?
- optic nerve
- short posterior ciliary arteries and nerves
- long ciliary nerves
- anterior ciliary arteries
- vortex veins
What is the difference between the corneal and scleral collagen?
Cornea - small diameter, regularly arranged
Sclera - larger size and irregular arrangement of collagen means that sclera transmits v little visible light, so there is some transmission and this can be seen on transillumination
How does this variation explain differences in transparency?
- Sclera has variability in fibril diameter and spacing
- Size and organisation of collagen fibrils in cornea allow forward transmission of light and eliminates scattered light
What is the Tenons capsule?
Thin membrane, envelopes the eyeball from the optic nerve to limbus
What is the relationship of the episclera with Tenon’s capsule?
-Tenons capsule found bet the conjunctiva and episclera (which forms the superficial vascular layer of the sclera)
What are the 5 layers of the cornea?
Epithelium, bowman membrane, strong, descemets membrane and endothelium
What is the epithelium of the cornea?
- stratified squamous and non keratinised
- consists of 6/8 cell layers
- consultant turnover of cells
What are the 3 morphological types of epithelial cells in the cornea?
Basal cells, wing cells and squamous cells
What do the squamous cells of the epithelium provide?
Provide a permeability barrier and also facilitate the spreading and attachment of the pre corneal tear film
What is Bowmans membrane?
Appears as a cell free homogeneous layer which lies under the epithelium
-ultrastructurally it consists of randomly orientated fine collagen fibrils. It’s function has not been established
What is the endothelium?
The corneal endothelium consists of a single layer of squamous cells that line the posterior surface of the cornea
What is Descemets membrane?
The basement membrane of the endothelium, 3-4 microns at birth and continues to increase thickness with age to 10-15 microns
What is the sclera?
Forms the bulk of the outer coat of the eye. It’s mechanical strength resists the intra ocular pressure and withstands the pull of the EOMs
Thickness varies from 1mm near optic nerve and thins anteriorly. It’s thinnest immediately behind the insertion of the EOMs (0.3mm)
