British researchers have made a surprising discovery about the eye, overturning all previous knowledge, it was announced last night.
Scientists said the discovery would lead to text-books on ophthalmology having to be rewritten.
The discovery at Nottingham University, UK, reveals the cornea of the eye has an additional layer on top of five previously known about.
The new layer, known as the Dua’s layer, is reported to be just 15 microns thick but "incredibly tough". The cornea is around 550 microns thick in total.
Researchers said the discovery would help improve surgery.
The layer has been named after its finder Professor Harminder Dua, professor of ophthalmology at Nottingham University, and was revealed in the journal Ophthalmology.
He said: "This is a major discovery that will mean that ophthalmology textbooks will literally need to be re-written. Having identified this new and distinct layer deep in the tissue of the cornea, we can now exploit its presence to make operations much safer and simpler for patients.
"From a clinical perspective, there are many diseases that affect the back of the cornea which clinicians across the world are already beginning to relate to the presence, absence or tear in this layer."
Human Corneal Anatomy Redefined – A Novel Pre-Descemet’s Layer (Dua’s Layer). Ophthalmology 25 May 2013 [abstract]
Leave a Reply