Researchers Discover Dua’s Layer, A New Body Part Located in the Eye

Researchers at the University of Nottingham have found a brand new body part located in the eye named the Dua’s Layer in honor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences professor and discoverer Harminder Dua. The Dua’s Layer is located at the very back of the human cornea — which was previously thought to have only five layers — and measures just 15 microns thick. The team of scientists discovered the Dua’s Layer by carefully injecting air into the cornea, separating the layers to be observed under an electron microscope.

“This is a major discovery that will mean that ophthalmology textbooks will literally need to be re-written,” Dua said. “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.” The discovery could have significant impacts on corneal disease and treatment, and scientists now believe a tear in the Dua’s Layer is the cause of corneal hydrops, a disorder that leads to fluid buildup in the cornea.

image by Harald Hoyer

via Popular Science