Three-dimensional reconstruction of the rabbit cornea by confocal scanning optical microscopy and volume rendering.

The 3-D reconstruction of the central optical zone of the rabbit cornea in an enucleated eye was accomplished. The confocal laser scanning reflected light microscope was used to obtain 3-microm optical serial sections from which the reconstruction was made by computer graphics methods (volume rendering). This volume reconstruction of a living, semitransparent, 400-microm thick, low contrast optical element in the eye presents a new method to visualize the cornea in three dimensions.