Corneal Disorders

Summary

Your cornea is the outermost layer of your eye. It is clear and shaped like a dome. The cornea helps to shield the rest of the eye from germs, dust, and other harmful matter. It also helps your eye to focus. If you wear contact lenses, they float on top of your corneas.

Problems with the cornea include:

• Refractive errors
• Allergies
• Infections
• Injuries
• Dystrophies – conditions in which parts of the cornea lose clarity due to a buildup of cloudy material

Treatments of corneal disorders include medicines, corneal transplantation, and corneal laser surgery.

NIH: National Eye Institute

National Eye Institute

Find an Expert

• American Foundation for the Blind American Foundation for the Blind
• American Optometric Association American Optometric Association
• Find an Ophthalmologist American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Finding an Eye Doctor National Eye Institute
• National Eye Institute National Eye Institute

Specifics

• Bacterial Keratitis American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Corneal Abrasions American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
• Corneal Laceration American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Fuchs’ Dystrophy Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Fungal Keratitis American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Herpes Keratitis American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Keratoconus Frequently Asked Questions National Keratoconus Foundation
• Peripheral Ulcerative Keratitis Merck & Co., Inc.
• What Is a Pinguecula and a Pterygium (Surfer’s Eye)? American Academy of Ophthalmology

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Corneal Diseases National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Corneal Injuries National Institutes of Health

Patient Handouts

• Cloudy cornea Medical Encyclopedia
• Corneal injury Medical Encyclopedia
• Corneal transplant Medical Encyclopedia
• Corneal ulcers and infections Medical Encyclopedia
• Fuchs dystrophy Medical Encyclopedia
• Keratoconus Medical Encyclopedia

Genetics

• Complete LCAT deficiency: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Congenital stromal corneal dystrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Fish-eye disease: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Fuchs endothelial dystrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Keratoconus: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Lattice corneal dystrophy type I: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Lattice corneal dystrophy type II: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Meesmann corneal dystrophy: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Peters anomaly: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Peters plus syndrome: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Treatments and Therapies

• Cornea Transplant Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Keratoconus Treatment Options National Keratoconus Foundation

Images

• Corneal Abrasion VisualDX
• Corneal Foreign Body VisualDX
• Corneal transplant – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia

Children

• Corneal Abrasions (For Parents) Nemours Foundation

Start Here

• Corneal Conditions National Eye Institute

Encyclopedia

• Corneal transplant – discharge Medical Encyclopedia
• Fluorescein eye stain Medical Encyclopedia
• Interstitial keratitis Medical Encyclopedia

Related Issues

• Corneal Ulcer (Keratitis) American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Dry Eye National Eye Institute
• Eye Infections from Contact Lenses American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Shingles American Academy of Family Physicians

Diagnosis and Tests

• Dilating Eye Drops American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
• Eye Problems: Symptom Checker Flowchart American Academy of Family Physicians

Statistics and Research

• Eye Health Data and Statistics National Eye Institute

Symptoms

• Eye Symptoms American Academy of Ophthalmology

Reference Desk

• How the Eyes Work National Eye Institute

Journal Articles

• Corneal Disorders