Eyes: Development and Regeneration Potential

Understanding the embryological development of the eye is important in understanding the anatomy and function of the eye. The eye develops from (1) neural tube, also called neuroectoderm; (2) surface ectoderm; and (3) neural mesoderm, or the neural crest. The neuroectoderm gives rise to the retina proper and its associated pigment layer, epithelium of ciliary body/iris, and the optic nerves. The surface ectoderm gives rise to the anterior surface of the cornea and the lens, while a part of the cornea, choroid, sclera, ciliary body/iris, and blood vessels of the eye are derived from the neural crest, also called the neural mesoderm.