Corneal collagen-its role in maintaining corneal shape and transparency.

Corneal collagen has a number of properties that allow it to fulfil its role as the main structural component within the tissue. Fibrils are narrow, uniform in diameter and precisely organised. These properties are vital to maintain transparency and to provide the biomechanical prerequisites necessary to sustain shape and provide strength. This review describes the structure and arrangement of corneal collagen from the nanoscopic to the macroscopic level, and how this relates to the maintenance of the form and transparency of the cornea.