Anatomy

Cornea

The transparent anterior portion of the fibrous coat of the eye consisting of five layers: stratified squamous CORNEAL EPITHELIUM; BOWMAN MEMBRANE; CORNEAL STROMA; DESCEMET MEMBRANE; and mesenchymal CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM. It serves as the first refracting medium of the eye. It is structurally continuous with the SCLERA, avascular, receiving its nourishment by permeation through spaces between the lamellae, and is innervated by the ophthalmic division of the TRIGEMINAL NERVE via the ciliary nerves and those of the surrounding conjunctiva which together form plexuses. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

The transparent anterior portion of the fibrous coat of the eye consisting of five layers: stratified squamous CORNEAL EPITHELIUM; BOWMAN MEMBRANE; CORNEAL STROMA; DESCEMET MEMBRANE; and mesenchymal CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM. It serves as the first refracting medium of the eye. It is structurally continuous with the SCLERA, avascular, receiving its nourishment by permeation through spaces between the lamellae, and is innervated by the ophthalmic division of the TRIGEMINAL NERVE via the ciliary nerves and those of the surrounding conjunctiva which together form plexuses. (Cline et al., Dictionary of Visual Science, 4th ed)

MeSH Record

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

1 entry terms
  • Corneas

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

22 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings abnormalities, anatomy & histology, blood supply, chemistry, cytology, diagnostic imaging, drug effects, embryology, enzymology, growth & development, immunology, innervation, metabolism, microbiology, parasitology, pathology, physiology, physiopathology, radiation effects, surgery, ultrastructure, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

inflammation = KERATITIS; neoplasms = CORNEAL DISEASES (IM) + EYE NEOPLASMS (IM) + histological type of neoplasm (IM); /anat: consider CORNEAL TOPOGRAPHY

MeSH Record

History Note

/transplantation was CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION 1963-65; was CORNEA/transplantation 1966-89

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. A09w.371w.060w.217w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Cornea. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D003315. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D003315
  2. Cornea. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornea
  3. Cornea. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q168291