Descemet Membrane

The Descemet membrane is the basement membrane of the corneal endothelium (see Fig 1-4). It is 3 μm at birth and increases in size, to 10–12 μm in adulthood, as the endothelium gradually lays down a posterior amorphous, nonbanded zone. The Schwalbe line is a gonioscopic landmark that defines the end of the Descemet membrane and the beginning of the trabecular meshwork.

Dua HS, Faraj LA, Said DG, Gray T, Lowe J. Human corneal anatomy redefined: a novel pre-Descemet’s layer (Dua’s layer). Ophthalmology. 2013;120(9):1778–1785.

Excerpted from BCSC 2020-2021 series: Section 10 - Glaucoma. For more information and to purchase the entire series, please visit https://www.aao.org/bcsc.