Sclera

The sclera is the hard tissue that elastic as a “shell” white-opaque (consists of collagen fibers) surrounds and protects the eye. Visually, we see only the white part around all’iris , but the sclera is practically a sphere (like a ping-pong) with a single hole, localized in the posterior portion of the eye, where it passes the optic nerve. In children, the sclera is thinner and more translucent below and bringing to light the dark choroid (the sclera in small fact is bluish), while in old age tends to become yellowish. Externally it is inserted 6 external ocular muscles that allow the eye to move in all directions. Internally to it we find the vascular layer, the choroid, and the layer nervous, the retina. Inflammation of the sclera (sclerite) or in the most superficial (episclerite), is a rare disease, more frequent in women, often associated with systemic diseases (THE, sarcoidosis, artrite reumatoide, polyarteritis nodosa, etc.) sometimes even to simple dental inflammation (apical granuloma,paradentosi, etc).