Corneal Disease

Abstract

The transparency of the cornea is dependent on a number of factors, such as its state of turgescence, the regular arrangement of its collagen bundles, and the maintenance of its curvatures. The slightest interference with any of these will lead to loss of transparency and therefore diminution of vision. The list of diseases which may affect the cornea directly or indirectly to cause a lowering of visual acuity is very long. Many of these diseases are, fortunately, self-limiting, and many of the changes in the cornea which they produce are reversible. There are, however, certain, corneal disorders which characteristically lead to permanent and more or less gross loss of corneal function. When such a disease affects only one eye the result may be unfortunate for the patient, but when both eyes are affected it is a disaster. The natural history of some of these major corneal disorders will now be described. © 1970, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.