ABSTRACT
The cornea and the sclera comprise the fibrous tunic of the globe. The corneal thickness of the cornea of the dog and the cat, unlike the cornea of humans, is often quoted as being thicker in the center than at the periphery. The cornea not only serves to support and protect the interior ocular structures but has the unique property of being transparent. Older dogs may develop dystrophic calcium in the cornea that eventually sloughs, producing corneal ulcerations. Corneal lacerations are relatively easy to manage compared to corneal ulceration, since usually there is no tissue missing. Lacerations should be differentiated from ruptures of the cornea and the sclera. Horses usually develop ruptures of the cornea and anterior sclera. Ruptures of the cornea frequently extend across the limbus into the sclera.
