Starting from the anterior surface toward the posterior, how many layers does the cornea have and what are they?

Starting from the anterior surface toward the posterior, how many layers does the cornea have and what are they?

• A. Epithelium; Bowman membrane; stroma; Descemet's membrane; endothelium
• B. Conjunctival epithelium; Bowman membrane; corneal stroma; Descemet's membrane; endothelium
• C. Corneal epithelium; Bowman membrane; corneal stroma; endothelium; Descemet's membrane
• D. Corneal epithelium; Bowman membrane; corneal stroma; Descemet's membrane; endothelium

Answer: (D)

Starting at the front of the cornea and moving back, there are five layers in this order: corneal epithelium, Bowman's layer (membrane), the stroma, Descemet's membrane, and the endothelium. The epithelium provides the protective surface, Bowman's layer is a tough, acellular layer beneath it, the stroma makes up most of the cornea’s thickness, Descemet's membrane is the basement membrane of the endothelium, and the endothelium is a single cell layer responsible for keeping the cornea dehydrated and clear. This precise sequence—epithelium, Bowman's layer, stroma, Descemet's membrane, endothelium—matches the correct answer.

Starting at the front of the cornea and moving back, there are five layers in this order: corneal epithelium, Bowman's layer (membrane), the stroma, Descemet's membrane, and the endothelium. The epithelium provides the protective surface, Bowman's layer is a tough, acellular layer beneath it, the stroma makes up most of the cornea’s thickness, Descemet's membrane is the basement membrane of the endothelium, and the endothelium is a single cell layer responsible for keeping the cornea dehydrated and clear. This precise sequence—epithelium, Bowman's layer, stroma, Descemet's membrane, endothelium—matches the correct answer.