What is the role of the cornea?

The role of the cornea is indeed to serve as the eye's outermost lens, helping to focus light. The cornea is a transparent, dome-shaped structure that covers the front of the eye. Its primary function is to refract, or bend, light rays that enter the eye, which contributes significantly to the eye's overall focusing power. The cornea's curvature is critical in determining how well the incoming light is focused onto the retina, which is essential for clear vision.

The cornea is composed of several layers, with the outermost layer being the epithelium, followed by the stroma and the endothelium. This layering plays a crucial role in maintaining transparency and overall eye health. Importantly, the cornea is avascular, meaning it lacks blood vessels; instead, it receives nutrients from tears and the aqueous humor, which is the fluid in the front part of the eye.

While the cornea does play a role in protection, particularly by shielding the inner components of the eye from environmental damage, it does not serve as a lens in the traditional sense like the crystalline lens does. Its refractive power works in collaboration with the lens, but its primary function is light refraction, making it essential in ensuring that