Cornea Care

Cornea Treatment & Surgery in Tampa, Sebring, Brooksville & Gainesville

You deserve NEWSOM EYES!

The cornea provides most of your eye’s focusing power. When it is scarred, swollen, thinning or dry, vision suffers. Newsom Eye diagnoses and treats the full range of corneal disease at all five Florida locations.

Schedule a Cornea Evaluation Call (813) 908-2020

Close-up of a human cornea evaluated at Newsom Eye

25+ Years
Serving Florida patients

100,000+
Surgeries performed

5 Locations
Sebring to Gainesville

3 Surgery Centers
AAAHC accredited

Anatomy of the cornea, the clear front window of the eye

The Basics

What is the cornea?

The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye — the clear, dome-shaped window at the front that is responsible for the majority of the eye’s focusing power. If the cornea is not perfectly clear, or is abnormal in any way, your vision is affected.

Corneal problems have many causes: dry eye, scars from trauma or contact lens-related infections, prior surgery, keratoconus, Fuchs’ dystrophy, infections, corneal ulcers and pterygia. The most common corneal disease by far is dry eye.

The cornea has no blood vessels. It depends entirely on the tear film for the oxygen and nutrients it needs. When those tears are inadequate, the surface breaks down — which is why dry eye causes blurry vision, a scratchy or sandy sensation, redness, stickiness and, paradoxically, watering.

Focusing power. The cornea does roughly two-thirds of the eye’s focusing.
No blood supply. It is fed entirely by your tear film.
Highly sensitive. Small changes cause big symptoms — and are worth checking.

Conditions We Treat

Corneal conditions and how we treat them

Our cornea specialists in Tampa, Sebring, Brooksville and Gainesville treat everything from routine dry eye to advanced corneal transplantation.

Corneal collagen cross-linking for keratoconus

Keratoconus & Cross-Linking

Keratoconus thins the cornea until it bulges into a cone, distorting vision. Collagen cross-linking is the only treatment proven to stop that progression.

Learn about cross-linking →

Fuchs’ Dystrophy

An inherited loss of the cells that pump fluid out of the cornea. Vision is typically worst in the morning. Advanced cases are treated with a partial corneal transplant.

Learn about Fuchs’ dystrophy →

Pterygium, Keratitis & More

Pterygium (“surfer’s eye”), conjunctivitis, scleritis, keratitis, ulcers and scars — inflammation and growths that can threaten sight if left untreated.

See all corneal diseases →

Laser Cornea Surgery

Precise laser treatment to smooth scarring and irregularities on the corneal surface, often restoring clarity without a transplant.

Learn about laser cornea surgery →

Patient with red, irritated eyes from dry eye disease

The Most Common Cornea Problem

Blurry vision is not always a prescription problem

Blurry vision can be a sign of something more serious than nearsightedness. Dry eye, corneal swelling, scarring and keratoconus all blur vision in ways glasses cannot correct — and all of them are treatable.

If your vision fluctuates through the day, if your eyes burn or feel gritty, if lights halo at night, or if a new prescription never quite feels right, the cornea is worth examining. A dry-eye and corneal surface evaluation takes one visit.

Left alone, chronic surface disease can progress to corneal ulcers and permanent scarring. Caught early, most patients are managed comfortably with drops, punctal plugs or in-office treatments.

Fluctuating vision that clears when you blink.
Burning, gritty or sandy sensation, often worse late in the day.
Watery eyes — reflex tearing is a classic dry-eye sign.

Schedule an eye exam →Find your nearest office →

What to Expect

How a cornea evaluation works at Newsom Eye

Corneal disease is diagnosed by measuring and imaging the corneal surface, not by a vision chart alone.

Complete eye examination

Vision, refraction, eye pressure and a slit-lamp look at the corneal surface, tear film and inner layers.

Corneal topography

A detailed map of the corneal curvature. This is how keratoconus and irregular astigmatism are found — often before symptoms are obvious.

Pachymetry and imaging

Corneal thickness measurement and cell-layer imaging to grade thinning, swelling and Fuchs’ dystrophy.

Tear film assessment

Testing tear quantity and quality, since surface disease drives most corneal symptoms and affects every surgical result.

A treatment plan

Medical management, specialty lenses, cross-linking, laser cornea surgery, pterygium removal or transplant — matched to the diagnosis.

Follow-up that matters

Corneal conditions change over time. Regular topography and imaging catch progression while treatment is still simple.

#1Dry eye is the most common corneal disease

2/3Of the eye’s focusing power comes from the cornea

Teens–20sWhen keratoconus usually appears

3AAAHC-accredited surgery centers

Meet our cornea specialists →Our surgery centers →

Patient Stories

Real Newsom Eye patients

Meet Alejandra: A Vision of Success

Amazing Cataract Outcomes

Amazing LASIK Outcomes

See more patient stories

Cornea FAQs

Frequently asked questions about the cornea

What does the cornea do?

The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped window at the front of the eye. It provides most of the eye’s focusing power, so anything that clouds, scars or distorts it — even slightly — blurs your vision.

What are the most common corneal problems?

Dry eye is by far the most common. Others include keratoconus, Fuchs’ dystrophy, corneal scars from trauma or contact-lens infections, corneal ulcers, pterygium (“surfer’s eye”), keratitis, conjunctivitis and scleritis.

What are the symptoms of a corneal problem?

Blurry or fluctuating vision, a scratchy or sandy sensation, redness, light sensitivity, glare and halos, excess tearing, or a sticky feeling in the eye. Sudden pain with light sensitivity and discharge needs to be seen the same day.

What is keratoconus?

Keratoconus is a progressive thinning of the cornea that lets it bulge into a cone shape, distorting vision. It usually appears in the teens or twenties. Corneal collagen cross-linking can halt the progression, which is why early diagnosis matters so much.

What is corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL)?

CXL uses riboflavin (vitamin B2) drops activated by UV light to create new bonds between the collagen fibers in the cornea. It strengthens and stabilizes the cornea and is the only treatment proven to stop keratoconus from getting worse.

What is Fuchs’ dystrophy?

Fuchs’ dystrophy is an inherited condition in which the cells that pump fluid out of the cornea gradually die off. The cornea swells, and vision is typically worst in the morning. Early stages are managed medically; advanced cases are treated with a partial corneal transplant such as DSAEK or DMEK.

Can a damaged cornea be repaired?

Often, yes. Depending on the problem, treatment ranges from prescription drops and specialty contact lenses to cross-linking, laser cornea surgery (PTK), pterygium removal, or a partial or full-thickness corneal transplant.

Is dry eye a corneal disease?

Yes — and it is the most common one. The cornea has no blood supply and depends on the tear film for oxygen and nutrients. When the tear film fails, the corneal surface suffers, which is why dry eye causes blurring and irritation rather than just “dryness.”

Where does Newsom Eye treat corneal disease?

Our cornea specialists see patients at all five Newsom Eye locations — Sebring, Carrollwood (Tampa), South Tampa, Brooksville and Gainesville. Surgical procedures are performed at our three AAAHC-accredited surgery centers.

CARE NEAR YOU

Clear vision starts with a clear cornea

Blurry vision, irritation and glare are not something to live with. Schedule a cornea evaluation at any of our five Florida locations.

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