CORNEA

Submitted To:Dr.Kshama ,
Assistant Professor
Dept. of TVCC.
Submitted By:Dhanasingh
Naik B S,
VHK 1117

Cornea
The outer, fibrous coat of the eye consists of

the posterior, opaque sclera and the anterior,

transparent cornea.
The corneal thickness varies among species
and across regions of the cornea but is usually
between 0.5 and 0.8 mm.

The cornea has four

layers
Stratified epithelium and its basement
membrane
Collagenous stroma
Descemets membrane (basement membrane
of the endothelium)
Endothelium

A,Epithelium.
B,stroma.
C,Descemets
membrane.
D,endotheliu
m.

Endothelium

Descemates membrane

Stroma

Corneal disorders are of three general

categories with respect to origin:

Exogenous
Extension from other ocular tissues
Endogenous

Exogenous insults must first pass through or

damage the corneal epithelium.

once the epithelium has been breached, most
microorganisms can readily establish
themselves and spread within the avascular
stroma

Extension of disease processes from adjacent

ocular tissues is a common cause of corneal

disorders
Eg; Entry of ICH virus into the cornea from
the aqueous

Endogenous disorders of the cornea include

the corneal dystrophies, which are familial and

likely inherited.

Congenital conditions

Dermoids
Symptoms:
They tumor like growth
They vary from single
hair to rather extensive
growths

Treatment:
Dissecting the entire growth
Phenol cautery of the area after
removal

Microcornea
It is extremely small cornea
Microcornea can be diagnosed through

measurement of the horizontal and vertical

diameters of the cornea and comparison of
the results with values from the other eye.
The condition is usually unilateral and

associated with microphthalmia.

Right and left

globes from a
calf. unilateral
microphthalmi
a and
microcornea

Microcornea
There is no satisfactory treatment for this
Usually associated with microphthalmus.

Corneal
dystrophy
Symptom:
degenerative condition in animals
A opaque area develops in the

cornea.
Unilateral or bilateral
Entire cornea may be
involved(center or periphery)
Etiology unknown but may be
nutrition, bacterial or viral
infection.
The areas look like small ulcers
Treatment
Medication to have little effect

Localized endothelial
dystrophy

Superficial punctate
keratitis
Multiple, superficial, circular defects in the
corneal epithelium that may or may not stain
with fluorescein
Symptoms:
it is dystrophy or degenerative type of lesions
A large numbers of shallow epithelial opacities
or infiltrates and small depression.
Develops vary rapidly.

Treatment
Chloramphenicol oint at beginning.
Vit A and D and 5% Sulfathiozole are used.

Superficial punctate
keratitis

Superficial punctate
keratitis

Protrusions of cornea

Keratoconus
Symptom:
It is anterior protrusion of the center of the cornea.
This deviation from normal curvature may be a
sequel to a severe uveitis
It may be associated with keratomalacia or
thinning.
Very often the tip of the cone is opaque or
ulcerated.
Treatment:
If the cone ruptures it must be sutured and
repaired.

Corneal staphyloma , intraocular

adhesions and cataract

Descemetocele
Is an ulcer so deep that it has penetrated the

epithelium and stroma down to descemets

membrane.
Treatment:
Emergency surgery
Paracenthesis performed at lateral canthus.

Descemetocele

DESCEMETOCOELE
Bulging Of

Descemets
Membrane
Forward.
Descematocoele
Doesnot Stain
With Flouroscein

Keratitis
Pigmentary keratitis
Symptoms: invasion of melanin in to cornea
Causes: entropian, ectropion, trichiasis, tumors.
Lip folds and keratitis sicca.
Treatment in early stages the causes could be
removed and corticosteroids used.

Keratitis

Pannus
Chronic superficial keratoconjunctivitis
Is a proliferation of a pigmented vascular

connective tissue going in to the superficial

layers of the pheripheral cornea.
Etiology: unknown

Pannus

Advanced pannus and

blindness

Bullous keratopathy in chronic pannus

Pannus after treatment

Eye after two

weeks of
treatment..
The prognosis

Generally good,
but the disease is
not cured, only
controlled.

Treatment:
Early stage- corticosteroids subconjuctivally
Advanced cases-surgical removal
Dissection carried out down to conjunctiva for 2-3

mm.
Atropine and antibiotic oint
A subconjunctival injection of a corticosteroid and
drops/oint.

Granulation tissue of the

cornea

Symptom: granulation tissue seen after poorly

healing lesions of the cornea
There is vascularization and proliferation of
granulation tissue on the cornea.
Treatment:removal of irritation
Use of corticosteroids
Surgically removal-if extensive

Exuberant granulation
tissue

Boxer corneal erosion syndrome

corneal granulation

Lipid deposition in the

cornea
Crystalline stromal dystrophy
lipid is deposited in a central or paracentral

position in the corneal stroma of both eyes,

without any sign of inflammatory response.
May be a consequence of an inherent
metabolic defect in the corneal fibroblasts.

crystalline appearance and axial position of the

gross lesion

Lipid keratopathy
Lipid keratopathy is the deposition of lipid

within the cornea of one or both eyes.

Vascularisation is a constant feature
May be a complication of ocular inflammation

Lipid
keratopathy

KERATITIS
Inflammation of cornea
Two types:

Superficial keratitis
Deep or interstitial keratitis

According to aetiology and is broadly

classified into:
Ulcerative
Non-ulcerative

Superficial keratitis
Inflammation of cornea.
Symptom:
Vascularization, edema, hypopyon noticed

Etiology:
dust, wind

Treatment:
Corticosteroids

Deep or interstitial
keratitis
Diffused vascularization and make cornea
complete opaque or animal blind
Commonly in interstitial keratitis is avery
severe infection of the entire uveal tract
Symptom:
Severe edema,cornea looses its glistening and

looking dull and rough

Ulcerative keratitis
Based On Etiology
Viral keratitis
Bacterial keratitis
Mycotic keratitis
Nutritional keratitis
Traumatic keratitis
Eosinophilic keratitis
Pigmentatory keratitis
Punctate keratitis
Exposure keratitis

Interstitial (deep)
keratitis

Etiology:chronic irritation and chronic infection

Treatment:
early stages atropine and corticosteroid oint

topically
Cautery of vessels
If granulation tissue-remove surgically
Systemic infection- systemic antibiotics

Keratomalacia/Nutritional
ulceres

Etiology:
Deficiency of Vitamin A
Treatment: Vitamins A and C in diet and Vit A
and D ointment helpful.

Keratomalacia

Mycotic keratitis
Treatment:
Cauterization of ulcer and ophthalmic oint

having fungalstatic action

Cautery done beyond the edge of the ulcer.

Corneal Ulcers
corneal ulcer is any keratopathy in which

there is loss of epithelium.

Ulcerative keratitis is an equivalent term
because there is always some inflammation
associated with corneal ulceration

classification
Simple Ulcers
Complicated Ulcers

Simple ulcers
Simple ulcers include Acute and Superficial

ulcers.
Symptoms:
lacrimation, photophobia and history of

rubbing his eye and holding the lids closed.

Treatment:
atropine to dilate the iris
chloramphenicol

Deep ulcers
(loss of approximately half or more of the

corneal thickness)
Etiology:
Presence of foreign body
Atropine, ointment
If hypopyon- systemic antibiotics
Cautery is always indicated.

Treatment:

Full-thickness complications will need primary

repair and may also require keratoplasty

techniques.
Intensive treatment with topical antibiotic
solution.

Deep ulcer , vascularisation and

hypopyon

Chronic/ Indolent ulcers

Seen in older animals
Especially those with protruding
eyes.
Treatment:
Topical anaesthesia
Phenol cauterization
Atropine and Chloramphenicol
ointments
Vit A and C dietary
supplementation
Vit A and D oint

Chronic non healing ulcerative keratitis

with granulation and pigmentation

Foreign bodies and injuries to

cornea
Symptoms:
superficial vascularization.
Treatment:
Small metal and carbon particles are removed

with the help of needle.

With the help of jet spray of water.
After removal cauterization helps in early
healing.
Atropine and Chloramphenicol oint
Hypopyon systemic antibiotics

Corneal foreign body

Foreign body granuloma

Vascularization of the
cornea
The superficial vascularization will usually
responds to antibiotics and / or cautery and
removal of the cause.

Superficial vascularisation of
cornea

Tumors of cornea
Epithelioma and Squamous cell

carcinoma
Treatment:
Dissection
Radiation therapy