Kammerwasser

Kammerwasser, in English aqueous humor, is the clear, colorless fluid contained in the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye. It bathes and nourishes avascular ocular tissues, helps maintain the optical properties of the eye, and contributes to the homeostasis of the intraocular environment.

It is produced mainly by the ciliary processes of the ciliary body. From the posterior chamber it flows through the pupil into the anterior chamber, where it provides nutrients to the cornea and lens and carries away waste products. Aqueous humor is continually renewed through production and drainage to maintain stable intraocular pressure.

Drainage occurs via two main outflow pathways: the conventional trabecular meshwork pathway with Schlemm's canal, and the uveoscleral (or unconventional) route. The balance between production and drainage determines intraocular pressure, which in adults is typically around 10–21 mmHg.

Clinically, abnormalities in Kammerwasser dynamics are central to glaucoma and other ocular diseases. Measuring intraocular pressure with tonometry, and assessing aqueous formation or drainage, can aid diagnosis and management. Composition of Kammerwasser is relatively low in protein, but contains electrolytes, glucose, ascorbate, and buffering systems.