EYE AND VISION
VISION – THE ACT OF SEEING.
Electromagnetic
radiation is the
energy form of
waves that radiate
from the sun.
Electromagnetic
spectrum – range
of electromagnetic
radiation.
ACCESSORY STRUCTURES OF THE EYE
Eyelids/palpebrae – shades the eye during sleep, protect the
eyes from excessive light and foreign objects, spreads
lubricating secretions over the eyeballs.
Eyelashes – project from the border of each eyelid
Eyebrows – arch transversely above the upper eyelids and
help protect the eyeballs from foreign objects, perspiration,
and the direct rays of the sun.
Sebaceous glands/ sebaceous ciliary glands, release a
lubricating fluid into the follicles.
LACRIMAL APPARATUS
EXTRINSIC EYE MUSCLES
- extrinsic eye muscles extend from the walls of the bony
orbit to the sclera (white) of the eye and are surrounded in
the orbit by a significant quantity of periorbital fat.
Superior rectus, inferior rectus, lateral rectus, medial rectus,
superior oblique, and inferior oblique.
ANATOMY OF THE EYEBALL
Anatomically, the wall of the eyeball consists of
three layers: (1) fibrous tunic, (2) vascular tunic,
and (3) retina (inner tunic).
FIBROUS TUNIC
-Is the superficial layer of the eyeball and
consists of the anterior cornea and posterior
sclera.
Cornea - is a transparent coat that covers the
colored iris. Because it is curved, the cornea
helps focus light onto the retina.
FIBROUS TUNIC
Sclera - the “white” of the eye, is a layer of dense
connective tissue made up mostly of collagen
fibers and fibroblasts.
- covers the entire eyeball except the cornea and
gives shape to the eyeball, makes it more rigid,
protects its inner parts, and serves as a site of
attachment for the extrinsic eye muscles.
Sclera venous sinus/ Canal of Schlemm – an
opening at the junction of the sclera and cornea.
VASCULAR TUNIC
- The middle layer of the eyeball.
- Composed of the three parts: choroid, ciliary body, and
iris.
Choroid - the posterior portion of the vascular tunic, lines
most of the internal surface of the sclera.
- Contains melanocytes that produce the pigment melanin,
which causes this layer to appear dark brown in color.
- At the interior portion of the vascular tunic, the choroid
becomes the ciliary body. It extends from the ora serrata,
the jagged anterior margin of the retina, to a point just
posterior to the junction of the sclera and cornea.
- consists of ciliary processes and ciliary muscle
- the ciliary body contains melanin-producing melanocytes.
The ciliary processes are protrusions or folds on
the internal surface of the ciliary body. They
contain blood capillaries that secrete aqueous
humor.
Extending from the ciliary process are zonular
fibers or suspensory ligaments that attach to the
lens. The fibers consist of thin, hollow fibrils that
resemble elastic connective tissue fibers.
The ciliary muscle is a circular band of smooth
muscle.
IRIS
- The colored portion of the eyeball.
- Consists of melanocytes and circular and radial smooth
muscle fibers.
- Regulates amount if light entering the eyeball through the
pupil.
Pupil
- the hole in the center of the iris
RETINA
- The third and inner layer of the eyeball and is the beginning
of the visual pathway.
- The optic disc is the site where the optic (II) nerve
exits the eyeball.
- The pigmented layer is a sheet of melanin-containing
epithelial cells located between the choroid and the neural
part of the retina.
- The neural (sensory) layer - is a multilayered outgrowth of
the brain that processes visual data extensively before
sending nerve impulses into axons that form the optic nerve.
RETINA
Three distinct layers of retinal
neurons
- the photoreceptor layer
- the bipolar cell layer - types of cells present in the bipolar
cell layer of the retina are called horizontal cells and amacrine
cells. These cells form laterally directed neural circuits that
modify the signals being transmitted along the pathway from
photoreceptors to bipolar cells to ganglion cells
- the ganglion cell layer—are separated by two zones, the outer
and inner synaptic layers, where synaptic contacts are made.
RETINA: PHOTORECEPTORS
Rods - allow us to see in dim light. They do not provide color
vision, in dim light we can see only black, white, and all
shades of gray in between.
- Brighter lights stimulate cones, which produce color
vision.
- Three types of cones are present in the retina:
- (1) blue cones, which are sensitive to blue light
- (2) green cones, which are sensitive to green light,
- (3) red cones, which are sensitive to red light.
RETINA
Optic disc – blind spot.
Macula lutea - is in the exact center of the posterior
portion of the retina, at the visual axis of the eye.
The fovea centralis – a small depression in the center of the
macula lutea, contains only cones. The fovea centralis is the
area of highest visual acuity or resolution.
LENS AND THE INTERIOR OF THE EYEBALL
- helps focus images on the retina to facilitate clear vision.
Crystallins – protein within the cavity of the eyeball, which is
arranged in onion-like layers.
The lens divides the interior of the eyeball into two cavities:
anterior cavity and vitreous chamber.
- The anterior cavity
- consists of two chambers. The anterior chamber lies
between the cornea and the iris. The posterior chamber
lies behind the iris and in front of the zonular fibers and
lens. They are filled by the aqueous humor.
Aqueous humor – transparent fluid that nourishes the lens
and cornea.
Vitreous chamber – larger posterior cavity of the eyeball.
Vitreous body – transparent jelly-like substance that holds
the retina flush against the choriod.
