Structure and Function of the Eye

Vitreous Humour

It is the transparent, colorless gelatinous mass that fills rear two-thirds of the eyeball, between the lens and the retina. It has to be clear so light can pass through it and it has to be there or eye would collapse.

pupil

Pupil It is a variable-sized black circular opening in the center of the iris that regulates the amount of light that enters the eye. The pupil needs to be round in order to constrict.

anterior chamber

The Anterior Chamber is filled with Aqueous Humor. Aqueous Humour is a clear, watery fluid that fills the space between the back surface of the cornea and the front surface of the vitreous, bathing the lens (The anterior and posterior chambers. Both are located in the front part of the eye, in front of the lens). The eye receives oxygen through the aqueous. It's function is to nourish the cornea, iris, and lens by carrying nutrients, it removes waste products excreted from the lens, and maintain intraocular pressure and thus maintains the shape of the eye. This gives the eye it's shape. It must be clear to function properly.

cornea

The Cornea is the second structure that light strikes. It is the clear, transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil and anterior chamber and provides most of an eye's optical power (if too flat = hyperopia/farsightedness; if too steep = myopia/nearsightedness). It needs to be smooth, round, clear, and tough. It is like a protective window. The function of the cornea is to let light rays enter the eye and converge the light rays.

optic nerve

The Optic Nerve is the largest sensory nerve of the eye. It carries impulses for sight from the retina to the brain. Composed of retinal nerve fivers that exit the eyeball through the optic disc, traverse the orbit, pass through the optic foramen into the cranial cavity, where they meet fibers from the other optic nerve at the optic chiasm.

ciliary body

The circumferential tissue (a ring of tissue between the end of the choroids and the beginning of the iris) inside the eye composed of the ciliary muscle (involved in lens accommodation and control of intraocular pressure and thus the shape of the lens) and 70 ciliary processes that produce aqueous fluid.

iris

The iris is the pigmented tissue lying behind the cornea that gives color to the eye and controls the amount of light entering the eye by varying the size of the papillary opening. It functions like a camera. The color of the iris affects how much light gets in. The iris controls light constantly, adapts to lighting changes, and is responsible for near point reading (to see close, pupils must constrict)

lens

The lens is the natural lens of the eye (chrystaline lens). Transparent, biconvex intraocular tissue that helps bring rays of light to focus on the retina (It bends light, but not as much as the cornea). Suspended by fine ligaments (zonules) attached between ciliary processes. It has to be clear, has to have a power of about +16, and has to be pliable so it can control refraction (This becomes less pliable as you age leading to presbiopia).

retina

The retina is the light sensitive nerve tissue in the eye that converts images from the eye's optical system into electrical impulses that are sent along the optic nerve to the brain, to interpret as vision. Forms a thin membranous lining of the rear two-thirds of the globe; consists of layers that include two types of cells: rods and cones. There is no retina over the optic nerve which causes a blind spot (This is the sightless area within the visual field of a normal eye. It is caused by absence of light sensitive photoreceptors where the optic nerve enters the eye.)

sclera

The sclera is the opaque, fibrous, tough, protective outer layer of the eye ("white of the eye") that is directly continuous with the cornea in front and with the sheath covering the optic nerve behind. The sclera provides protection and form.

choroid

The vascular (major blood vessel), central layer of the eye lying between the retina and sclera. It's function is to provide nourishment to the outer layers of the retina through blood vessels. It is part of the uveal tract.

tear layer

This is the first layer of the eye that light strikes. It is clear, moist, and salty. It's purpose is to keep the eye smooth and moist.