Can cornea peel off?

Confusion about cornea and retina

We are often asked whether a cornea can peel off? Short and sweet: no! Detachment of the cornea is never the case, but patients sometimes exchange the retina for the cornea. The cornea, called the cornea, is the clear front part of the eye, through which light enters the eye. It is a continuation of the white part of the eye. Behind the cornea you can see the colored part of the eye, the iris. The retina is the innermost of the three layers. The retina is a thin, transparent membrane. After the light enters through the cornea, it passes through the pupil, the lens and the vitreous space. Finally, the light reaches the retina.

What is the cornea?

The cornea is made up of several layers. It owes its transparency to a balance between the outer epithelium, the inner endothelium and the intervening stroma. The epithelium has the important property that it can renew itself very quickly. In case of damage to several epithelial cells, it can recover within a few hours. Within a few days, the entire epithelium can completely regenerate. Keratoconus forms in the cornea.

Detachment of retina

In a retinal detachment (ablatio retinae), the retina becomes detached, often because vitreous humor gets behind the retina. This can happen because of one or more tears in the retina. Retinal detachment occurs in approximately 1 in 10,000 people each year. It can develop at any age, but older people are more at risk. That includes people who are nearsighted or have relatives who have had a retinal detachment. Sometimes a retinal detachment is caused by an accident, for example a blow or a ball to the eye.

More information

Please feel free to contact us about whether a cornea can peel off or any other questions about eye problems due to keratoconus.