Your Complex Cornea - More Than Meets the Eye

You can really amaze your friends at parties with this information, and it helps you to make an informed decision on deciding if Laser Eye Surgery is right for you.

How the Cornea Works in Sight

The eye is set into a bony shell, called the orbit, and surrounding by soft fatty tissue. The eye’s movement are controlled by extraocular muscles, so you can look around in various directions without having to turn your whole head.
 
The glass-like cornea is the outermost part of the eye; it’s the bit that gets easily irritated by dust. It’s about a half a millimetre thick and about 12mm across, and is basically a section of the sphere that makes up the entire eyeball.
 
It’s the part that is responsible for refracting most of the light that enters the eye, so it’s hugely important in your ability to focus properly. Even the tiniest change in the shape of your cornea makes a big difference in the resulting focus.
 
This is why most laser eye surgery is Refractive Surgery, as it involves changing the shape of the cornea to treat focusing or refractive errors.

Layers of the Cornea

The cornea actually has several layers to it, called the epithelium, stroma and endothelium. The Bowman membrane lies between the epithelium and the stroma and the Descemet layer between the stroma and the endothelium.
 
This is great party trivia-although you might find yourself standing alone in a corner. With your cornea chat and your drink.
 

Self-Healing Epithelium Layer

The epithelium is made up of lots of cells-5 layers of them to be exact- which have the ability to multiply, and is covered by the tear film.
 
Because of its ability to regenerate itself, it’s essentially self-healing and usually fixes itself within a couple of days, which is very handy for eye surgery patients.

Strong Stroma Layer

The stroma, the main layer of the cornea, takes up most of the space and is made of collagen fibres, which form lamellar sheets like the pages of a notebook.
 
It’s the packing and spacing of these collagen fibres that provides the transparency of the eye, and the stromal cells (keratocytes) can’t reproduce themselves, and don’t have nerve endings so feel no pain. They give your eye its strength and its dome-like shape, and that’s why refractive surgery is generally performed on this layer.

Important Role of Thin Endothelium Layer

The endothelium, which is the innermost layer of the cornea, looks like a transparent honeycomb under a microscope. It’s only one layer of cells, but it plays a vital function in keeping the cornea transparent; there is a balance of liquid in the cornea and this is maintained by pumping excess liquid by means of the endothelium.

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Patient Reviews

Barry Neville
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Barry Neville
March 3, 2026

Very professional, and very customer focused

Timmy Kelleher
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Timmy Kelleher
February 18, 2026

I got the refractive lens surgery in December and from my first appointment to the last post op appointment I was looked after with great care, and I would recommend this company to anyone

Sinéad Elizabeth Delaney
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Sinéad Elizabeth Delaney
February 5, 2026

My glasses has always made me feel self conscious to the point of not wearing them. I had my free consultation for eligibility with Rachel who was helpful and really put me at ease about the entire procedure. Elizabeth in reception was friendly and welcoming throughout each visit helping me set up all my upcoming appointments and fit me in for my surgery to meet my schedule. The day of surgery I was brought upstairs for re-scans. Paul did these and he was extremely kind. He answered all my questions making me feel at ease. After I was then called by Fiona who was assisting Dr. Tom in my surgery. I met Dr. Tom who ran over the procedure and answered questions I had. Fiona then went through the things to be mindful of after surgery showing me the three different eye drops to be taken and then helped me prep for surgery. The surgery itself was so quick. I first laid down on the chair and they dosed my eyes in eye drops which were to stop infections and aesthetic to keep my eyes open. Dr. Tom and the team began. It was such a quick painless procedure I couldn’t believe it was finished so quick. Already getting up I felt I could see better although a little fuzzy. Fiona guided me to the dark area of the reception while I waited to go home. The girls in reception had already called my dad and he was on the way. Sitting there I could already read the signs on the wall (I couldn’t when I had come in). Paul and Fiona came and sat with me for a second in reception asking me how I was and how I got on which was so nice of them. My dad collected me and I put my sunglasses on. It was a sunny day and I’m going to be honest the car ride home for me was the hardest part. Fiona told me my eyes would become heavy when the eye drops wore off. I felt the light from the sun in the car ride home was harsh on my eyes and my eyes stung. This was instantly relieved when I got home and went to my room which was in complete darkness. The first two hours my eyes were a little sore and stingy. Then this all faded very quick. No stinging. No pain. Nothing. All great. My eyes improving more and more as the day went on. I was nervous about the eye drops but set them up on my table with an alarm and it’s so easy to just pop them in. My eyes were quite red with two red dots on each side. I rested up for the evening and I wore my dark glasses they provided for a lot of the evening to really rest my eyes and by that night my vision was very sharp it was amazing. I slept very well with my eye mask and not once did I have to take painkillers. My follow up appointment was with Michaela who was lovely and stated I have 20/20 vision and my eyes look good. She also said the redness is 100% normal and is just bruising of the eye from the suction. My experience has been amazing. I honestly can’t thank the staff enough. Each and every one of them were so nice and welcoming and the liking to answer all my questions. If you have any doubts at all; I wouldn’t. Get it done if you can. I wish I got it done sooner. Any questions or using a refer a friend find me on fb or instagram with the name above 😊

Laurence Lee
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Laurence Lee
November 25, 2025

It was the best decision I ever made,I can see better now than I ever did.

Teddy Sheehan
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Teddy Sheehan
November 20, 2025

Finished LASIK eye surgery yesterday. Unbelievable how crystal clear next day was. Bit nervous on day, but staff put me right at ease. Very professional, Clean, fast. Definitely should got it done years ago..

Lazer
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Lazer
November 19, 2025

I recently had my LASIK eye surgery done at Optilase and I couldn’t be happier with the entire experience. From the moment I walked in, the team made me feel completely at ease. A special mention goes to Optometrist Dan, who was incredibly professional, patient, and reassuring throughout the whole process. Dan explained every step clearly, answered all my questions, and made sure I felt confident before and after the procedure. The surgery itself was quick and comfortable, and my vision improvement has been amazing. I highly recommend Optilase and especially Dan for anyone considering LASIK. Excellent service, fantastic results, and a team you can truly trust.

manon Clairbaux
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manon Clairbaux
November 18, 2025

Nice and helpful team !

Endija Ozolina
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Endija Ozolina
November 13, 2025

From the day 1 I felt I was important client ! Carrickmines clinic is sooo clean & neat in every way On the day of the surgery I felt even more cared for and soothed while being a VERY anxious customer the staff & surgeon made me calm and also advised on a better future treatment then initially was thought , which I though was wonderful and showed they care Small downside 🫤 can’t reach directly clinic but when call the number given it’s going to main customer care ( which is also very helpful) But the reason for that is that they work the load between the clinics , which is understandable Overall , even if you’re the most scared person to do this - please TRUST you feel no pain and the gain is fare more worth, then few pre-stressful moments And the actual procedure is honestly less then 10 min

Paula Kenneally
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Paula Kenneally
November 12, 2025

I recently got laser eye surgery. What a difference it has made! Dan O Brien was absolutely excellent. He was incredibly helpful and insightful. He took the time to explain everything thoroughly and patiently answered all of my questions, which really put me at ease. I felt very well looked after throughout the whole process. Highly recommend!

Pamela Patton
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Pamela Patton
November 12, 2025

My experience of Optilase has been incredible. Such a life changing experience. From the initial consultation through to the surgery and follow up appointments I was so impressed with the level of care and attention to detail. Every step was carefully explained, I felt at ease the whole time and so excited about the process and end result. Walking into the post op appointment the following morning and having better than 20/20 vision has only ever been a dream for me. The team in Optilase made this possible for which I am very thankful. Freedom from glasses and contact lenses has transformed my life!

Bridgena Coll
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Bridgena Coll
November 12, 2025

Excellent staff and service 100%

James
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James
November 12, 2025

Good experience well worth it.

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