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12.1 Introduction
As the organ responsible for vision, the eye plays a vital role in our communication with the external
world. Among the intricate components that constitute the eye, collagen-rich cornea is the key optical
element responsible for most of the eye’s refractive properties. Although the cornea only represents
one-sixth of the outer coating of the eye, its dome-shaped and optically transparent structure contrib-
utes to more than two-thirds of the eye’s focusing power. In addition to its collagen content, corneal
epithelium is maintained by stem cells located at limbus, which constitutes the peripheral boundary of
the cornea. ...