Why is the cornea not supplied with blood

The cornea, one of only a few tissues in the body that actively keep themselves vessel-free the other is cartilage , is the thin transparent tissue that covers the front of the eye. It is the clarity of the cornea that allows light to pass onto the retina and from there to the brain for interpretation.

When the cornea is clouded by injury, infection or abnormal blood vessel growth, vision is severely impaired, if not destroyed. Scientists have been wrestling with the "clarity" puzzle for many decades. And, while some previous studies have revealed small clues, none have pointed to one major mechanism, until this study.

In most other tissues of the body, blood vessel growth or angiogenesis occurs in response to a need for increased blood flow to heal an injured or infected area. Sclera Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Superior oblique Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Ophthalmic artery Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Medial rectus Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Optic chiasma Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network.

Optic nerve Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Orbicularis oculi Medically reviewed by the Healthline Medical Network. Jejunum Overview. What is the Vagus Nerve? Medically reviewed by Seunggu Han, M.

Category: Biology Published: June 25, Upper-layer skin cells and the cells in the front surface of the eyes get a significant amount of oxygen directly from the air rather than from the blood. Human bodies have a huge demand for oxygen.

As a result, the oxygen that is able to passively diffuse into the body directly from the air is not nearly enough to run the whole body. Fortunately, we have lungs that can actively pull in oxygen and transfer it to the blood, allowing the body to transport oxygen to the cells by using the blood like a fleet of delivery trucks.

Most of our cells rely on the blood delivery service. However, the cells in the outer layers or our skin and eyes are in direct contact with the atmosphere and can efficiently get their oxygen right from the air.

Let's look at the eyes first. Cornea Related Pages: Cornea Keratoconus. Schedule an Appointment Schedule an appointment today to experience the Shoreline Vision difference. Contact Us. Medical website design by Glacial Multimedia, Inc. If you are using a screen reader and are having problems using this website, please call All Rights Reserved.