They discover that there is another layer in the cornea of the eye

2013/06/17 Galarraga Aiestaran, Ana - Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna
• Anatomia/Fisiologia

Researcher Harminder Dua of the University of Nottingham has shown that among the cornea layers there is a layer that so far was not known. In their honor they call the membrane of the Dua to the newly found stratum.

From the University of Nottingham they have pointed out that the discovery has meant the need to “rewrite ophthalmology books”. In fact, until now it was thought that the cornea was formed by five layers: the corneal epithelium; the membrane of Bowman; the substance of the cornea itself; the membrane and the endothelium of Descemet. The finding is between the substance itself and the membrane of Descemet and is very fine (the cornea has a thickness of 0.5 mm or 550 microns and the membrane of the Dua has only 15 microns), but at the same time it is extremely hard (resistant to a pressure of 1,5-2 bar).

Human corneal anatomy redefined-A novel Pre-Descemet’s Layer describes the membrane Dua (Redefinition of the anatomy of the human cornea – New pre-descemetida membrane). According to him, a good knowledge of the membrane will serve to better understand and treat cornea diseases. For example, they now think that a severe deformation of the cornea, the keratocone, may be due to the fissure of this membrane: if the membrane is cracked, the water inside the eye leaves outward and the keratocone is formed.