A body is brought for postmortem examination 4 hours after death. Both eyes were found wide open at the scene and have remained uncovered since. The expected state of the cornea is:
- A Completely transparent and glistening
- B Fully opaque and milky white
- C Dull and hazy, losing its lustre ✓
- D Sunken with collapse of the anterior chamber
Correct answer: C. Dull and hazy, losing its lustre
Explanation
When the eyes remain open, evaporation of tear film causes loss of corneal lustre within the first hour and haziness within roughly 2 to 3 hours. Complete milky opacity takes about 10 to 12 hours or more, so at 4 hours the cornea is dull and hazy rather than fully opaque. If the eyelids are closed, the cornea stays clear much longer and opacity is delayed to about a day. Sunken eyes with collapsed chambers belong to late dehydration or decomposition, not 4 hours.
Reference: Parikh's Textbook of Medical Jurisprudence, Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 7th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.