The human cornea has a high incidence of acquired chromosome abnormalities.

Structurally and functionally, the human cornea is a highly specialized tissue. The corneal stromal collagen matrix is uniquely transparent and yet maintains a mechanically tough and chemically impermeable barrier between the eye and environment. We report for the first time that stromal keratocytes of the human cornea show cytogenetic abnormalities with a frequency that is unprecedented among normal tissues. The abnormalities are acquired, clonal and nonclonal, primarily aneuploid in nature, and present in normal as well as diseased corneas.