New body part discovery will rewrite textbooks, make surgery safer

Any textbooks covering the anatomy of the human eye are going to need a re-write now, after a University of Nottingham scientist discovered a new layer in the cornea — the clear dome of tissue that covers the pupil and iris.

Up until now, scientists had found only five layers to the cornea. This newly discovered sixth layer is now called Dua's layer, named after Professor Harminder Dua, who's team at the University of Nottingham found it during experiments with donated human eyes. They were injecting air into the cornea, to separate each of the different layers and then examine them with an electron microscope. Rather than the five layers they expected to see, they found six, with this new layer being found near the back of the cornea.

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According to the research, the existence of this layer may explain conditions like corneal hydrops — where water can flood into the cornea due to a tear — and other conditions of fluid or material buildup in the cornea, and it can also make corneal transplant surgery much safer.

During the surgery, an air bubble is injected into the middle layer of the cornea, called the cornea stroma. However, complications can result from this if the air bubble bursts. The study showed that, although the Dua's layer only represents about 3% of the total thickness of the cornea, it is extremely tough, so injecting the air bubble under this layer instead (which lies directly behind the cornea stroma) may reduce the chances of it bursting.

"This is a major discovery that will mean that ophthalmology textbooks will literally need to be re-written," Dua said, according to Futurity. "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," he added.

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With all the knowledge we have about our anatomy, it's a rare thing when we can discover something new about ourselves like this, and even more rare and special when the discovery has a chance to have such an immediate impact on people's health.

(Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons)

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