Corneal Care
Corneal Care in South Texas: Trust Experience and Subspecialized Expertise
At the front of the eye is a clear dome, the outermost layer of the eye, known as the cornea. The cornea plays a significant role in your vision. Together, the lens and the cornea are responsible for focusing light onto the retina (at the back of the eye). In fact, the cornea can be responsible for as much as three quarters of the eye’s ability to focus. Our corneas also help protect the eye, by filtering harmful ultraviolet light and serving as a barrier to dirt, particulates, germs, etc.
So, our corneas are essential to the quality of our vision and to the health of our eyes. At the same time, the cornea is at risk for injury and disease. In fact, they are quite common. That’s why MCOA’s board-certified ophthalmologists and corneal subspecialists — in San Antonio and Del Rio — provide not just the most advanced care available today but also the compassion and commitment you want and deserve.
What is the cornea?
The cornea is an interesting anatomical structure. It has no blood vessels, for example, and obtains its nourishment from the eye’s aqueous fluid (behind the cornea) and from the ears. It also is comprised of highly organized tissue, consisting of five distinct layers of tissue that each serve an important purpose and function.
Protect your cornea from disease and injury with specialized care
Because it is the outward facing surface of your eye, the cornea is easily injured, and corneal injuries are therefore common. The cornea can typically heal well after minor injuries, such as scratches. But for deeper injuries, there can be pain, scarring, photosensitivity (oversensitivity to light), and vision impairment. There are also a number of different disease processes that can affect the cornea and threaten your ability to see.
Here are some of the problems that MCOA’s ophthalmologists and cornea subspecialists see and treat:
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Keratitis
- Corneal dystrophies
- Shingles
- Ocular herpes
- Pterygium
- Iridocorneal endothelial syndrome (ICE)
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)
