Corneal Clouding
Clouding of the cornea, whether from external or internal sources, can mean partial or total loss of sight, depending on the severity of damage. A normal, undamaged cornea is necessary for full vision. When the cornea becomes cloudy, similar to the frosting of glass, there are various methods to correct or restore vision. When the cloudiness is on the surface of the cornea, the top layers can be shaved off with a blade or a laser. When deeper layers of the cornea are involved, it may require replacement. Cornea transplants, using tissue from donated eyes, have been successful at treating this condition. Approximately 40,000 corneal transplants are performed in the United States each year.
There are many reasons why the normal, clear cornea may be cloudy, resulting in loss of vision in one of both eyes:
- Congenital corneal clouding
- Eye trauma
- Eye infections
- Corneal dystrophies
