The cornea is the clear front surface of the eye situated directly in front of the iris and pupil. The cornea allows light to enter the eye as well as providing 65% to 75% of the eye’s focusing power. Most refractive errors (nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism) are a result of less than optimal curvature or symmetry of the cornea.
The cornea must be clear, smooth and healthy for good vision. Columbia Eye Clinic physicians can detect if eye disease or eye injury has damaged your cornea.
Some common cornea problems include keratoconus, abrasion, infections, scarring, dystrophies, ulcer, pterygium, and others.
Many of the signs of corneal disorders are the same as other eye conditions.
- Redness
- Blurred vision
- Foreign body sensation
- Light sensitivity
- Pain
Treatments
If your cornea cannot be healed or repaired with medication, lubrication, specialized contact lenses, minor surgical or laser procedures, your ophthalmologist may recommend a corneal transplant. This is when the diseased cornea is replaced with a clear, healthy cornea from a human donor. Depending on the which layers of the cornea are diseased or damaged, a full or partial corneal transplant may be required.
Schedule an appointment
Contact us at (803) 779-3070 to schedule an appointment for an eye exam with one of our American Board of Ophthalmology certified physicians at any of our three conveniently located clinics.
