Lens Implantation and the Endothelium

Abstract

The inner face of the cornea is covered by a monocellular layer that separates it from the aqueous humor. The cells of this endothelium are flat and hexagonal (Fig. XII-1). At birth, the cornea has some 300,000 to 500,000 endothelial cells. The endothelium of a child or young adult has a cell density of about 1/2 that at birth because the surface area of the cornea increases and the cells spread out and grow. There is little morphological change between the ages of 15 and 50, but during the 60′, the endothelial cells increase in size and develop irregular shapes (pleomorphism) (Laing et al., 1976, Kaufman, 1966).