Ocular surface and cornea
The ocular surface is made up of various ocular structures that are essential for optimal vision: cornea, conjunctiva and tear film.
What is it
The study of the ocular surface and cornea is an ophthalmological subspecialty that deals with the prevention, diagnosis and medical and/or surgical treatment of those pathologies that affect the cornea, conjunctiva and tear film, which are the different ocular structures that make it up. It is advisable to ensure proper care of this part of the ocular system, as it helps to keep it in optimal condition from a functional and aesthetic point of view.
The cornea is an anatomical structure found in the front of the eye that is covered by several layers of tissue. It serves two main functions. On the one hand, it acts as a protective shield of the eye against the external agents with which it is in contact, sharing this protective function with the tear film and the eyelid. On the other hand, it allows light to pass through from the outside to the inside of the eye, as well as the focus of images on the retina, thanks to its optical refractive properties.
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In a normal eye, the images that reach the retina are focused directly on it, obtaining perfect vision. Conversely, when images converge at a point outside the retina, there is an altered perception of them and, consequently, vision becomes blurred. When this happens, the eye has a refractive error.
The conjunctiva is a clear mucous membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and most of the outer surface of the eyeball and is supplied by blood vessels. The transparency of the cornea and a proper curvature are two fundamental aspects for it to perform its function correctly.
The tear film is a thin layer that covers the cornea and conjunctiva of the eye. Although it is barely noticeable to the naked eye, it has a vital function for eye health, as it is responsible for protecting both ocular structures (the most superficial of the eye) from the external aggressions to which they are exposed and moistening the eye. In fact, to prevent it from drying out, the tear film is continuously replenished by blinking, distributing the tear evenly over the entire ocular surface.
Main problems solved by the specialty of
Ocular Surface and Cornea
There are various diseases of the ocular surface that can alter its characteristics and cause defective vision, including inflammatory conditions of the cornea (keratitis) and conjunctiva (conjunctivitis), deformations of the corneal structure (keratoconus), infectious pathologies of the eyeball (corneal ulcers) or alterations of the tear film (dry eye).
