Limbus

By Dr.Nivetha
 • It is a rim of tissue that forms an ellipse around the clear
cornea denoted by pigmentation
Limbus • Transistional zone between the conjunctiva and the cornea
and the cornea and the sclera
Anatomical limbus

• It refers to the circumcorneal

transistional zone of the conjunctivo
corneal and corneo scleral junction
• Conjunctivo corneal junction :
      The substantia propria of the
conjunctiva stops here but the
columnar epithelium continues with
that of the stratified squamous
epithelium of cornea 
•   Sclero corneal junction:
   The transparent corneal lamallae
becomes continuous with the opaque
fibres of sclera
   
Limbal
epithelium
• At the transistional zone ,the epithelium is
made of 8-10 layers of stratified squamous
epithelium 
• Its basal cells are arranged in ridges like
structures as palisades of vogt which contain
the stem cells
• The palisades of Vogt appear as radial linear
structures of about 1 mm in length as observed
by slit-lamp microscopy 
Differentiation from the corneal and
conjunctival epithelium
• Histologically, the  limbal epithelium
can be differentiated from the
conjunctival epithelium, in that it
lacks goblet cells.
•  Compared to the corneal
epithelium,  the limbal epithelium
contains a large number of epithelial
dendritic cells, T lymphocytes, highly
pigmented melanocytes, and
subjacent blood vessels.
Transitions at the limbus
Surgical limb • It is a 2mm wide circumcorneal transistional zone
between the clear cornea on one side and
Surgical limbus the opaque sclera on the other side 
 Surgical limbus
• Anterior limbal border 
• Mid limbal line
• Posterior limbal border
Anterior limbal border
• It is marked by a prominent ridge
created by the insertion of conjunctiva
and tenons capsule into the cornea 
• It overlies the termination of the
bowmans membranes
Mid limbal line
• It is the junction of the blue zone with
white area 
• It overlies the termination
of descemets membrane 
 Posterior limbal border
• It lies about 1mm posterior to the mid limbal line 
• It overlies the scleral spur 
Zones of surgical limbus
• Blue limbal zone 
• White limbal zone
Blue limbal zone 
• Bluish translucent zone seen posterior
to the limbal border after dissecting the
limbus free of the conjunctiva and
tenons capsule
• Extent varies due to variable insertions
of the conjunctiva and tenons capsule
into the cornea:
Superior quadrant : 1mm
Inferior quadrant : 0.8 mm 
Nasal and temporal quadrants : 0.4mm
White limbal zone

• It is a 1mm wide whitish area which lies

between the mid limbal line and the
posterior limbal border

• It overlies the trabecular meshwork

• Since the width of the white limbal
zone is constant ,the total width of the
surgical limbus is greatest in the
superior quadrant where width of the
blue zone (1mm) is maximum
• This is an advantage of the surgeon
 The XYZ hypothesis
• It was proposed by thoft and Friend 
• It explains the maintenance of the corneal
epithelium
• X- proliferation of the basal epithelial cells
• Y- proliferation and centripetal migration of the
limbal cells
• Z- epithelial cell loss from the surface
• Corneal epithelial maintenance is defined by X+Y=Z  
Which states that if the corneal epithelium is to be
maintained ,cell loss must be balanced by cell
replacement.
Corneal wound healing
• Corneal epithelium is highly differentiated and renew itself rapidly
and also depends on the limbal stems cells migration and
replacement
• In the absence of limbal stem cell ,epithelium wound healing is
compromised 
Limbal stem cells deficiency
• The corneal epithelium is smooth ,non keratinized and devoid of goblet
cells 
• The stromal avascularity and the epithelial integrity maintains its clarity
• The conjunctival epithelium lies on a vascularized stroma and contains
goblet cells 
• The limbus acts as a barrier preventing the growth of the conjunctiva
into cornea
• In the absence of a healthy limbus ,the conjunctival epithelial cells tend
to migrate in and envelop the corneal surface .This is called
conjunctivalization.
Limbal dermoid
• It is a benign congenital lesion grows with the growth of the ye and
doesnot undergo malignant transformation
• Treatment: done for cosmetic purpose
Excision and lamellar patch graft