Scientists Discover Previously Undetected

Layer in Human Eye Duas Layer

Jun 12, 2013 by Sergio Prostak
British ophthalmologists have discovered a new layer in the cornea, the clear, domeshaped
sur!ace that covers the !ront o! the eye"
Left: schematic diagram of the human eye showing the cornea (ikae! "#ggstr$m % &&0 1'0('
)ight: *ertica! section of human cornea (+ray,s -natomy % Sci./ews'com(
0he !ayer has been named the 1ua,s Layer after the academic Prof "arminder 1ua who
disco*ered it'
20his is a ma3or disco*ery that wi!! mean that o4htha!mo!ogy te5tbooks wi!! !itera!!y need to be
re.written' "a*ing identified this new and distinct !ayer dee4 in the tissue of the cornea, we can
now e54!oit its 4resence to make o4erations much safer and sim4!er for 4atients,6 said 1r
"arminder 1ua, Professor of 74htha!mo!ogy and 8isua! Sciences at the 9ni*ersity of
/ottingham and !ead author of a 4a4er 4ub!ished in the 3ourna! Ophthalmology'
2:rom a c!inica! 4ers4ecti*e, there are many diseases that affect the back of the cornea which
c!inicians across the wor!d are a!ready beginning to re!ate to the 4resence, absence or tear in this
!ayer'6
0he human cornea is the c!ear 4rotecti*e !ens on the front of the eye through which !ight enters
the eye' Scientists 4re*ious!y be!ie*ed the cornea to be com4rised of fi*e !ayers, from front to
back, the cornea! e4ithe!ium, ;owman,s !ayer, the cornea! stroma, 1escemet,s membrane and the
cornea! endothe!ium'
0he 1ua,s Layer is !ocated at the back of the cornea between the cornea! stroma and 1escemet,s
membrane'
-!though the !ayer is 3ust 1< microns thick = the entire cornea is around <<0 microns thick or
0'<mm = it is incredib!y tough and is strong enough to be ab!e to withstand one and a ha!f to
two bars of 4ressure'
0he scientists now be!ie*e that cornea! hydro4s, a bu!ging of the cornea caused by f!uid bui!d u4
that occurs in 4atients with keratoconus (conica! deformity of the cornea(, is caused by a tear in
the 1ua,s !ayer, through which water from inside the eye rushes in and causes water!ogging'
0he disco*ery wi!! ha*e an im4act on ad*ancing understanding of a number of diseases of the
cornea, inc!uding acute hydro4s, 1escematoce!e and 4re.1escemet,s dystro4hies'
>>>>>>
;ib!iogra4hic information: "arminder S' 1ua et a!' 2013' "uman &ornea! -natomy )edefined:
- /o*e! Pre.1escemet,s Layer (1ua,s Layer(' Ophthalmology, in 4ress? doi:
10'101@%3'o4htha'2013'01'01A
http://www.sci-news.com/othersciences/anthropology/article01151-human-eye-
duas-layer.html