Dr.

Masarat Swadi

Anatomy of Eye:
The Eye is the organ of vision, it’s consisting of the eyeball and its accessory
structures. Light passes through the transparent structures of the eye (cornea
,aqueous humor ,pupil ,lens and vitreous humor) to reach the receptor
organs(rods and cones) of the retina. The resulting nerve impulses are then
conducted by the optic nerve to the visual center of the brain.

Eyeball (L.bulbus oculi): the eye ball can be divided into three layers :

- 1)Fibrous tunic: The outer coat of the eyeball, it is divided into:

sclera,cornea.
- Sclera: or the white of the eye : the caudal part of the coat consisting of
fibrous tissue , it give shape and protect the inner structure of the eye.
- Cornea: the transparent anterior part of the fibrous coat that let light into
the eyes.
- Limbus: the junction of sclera and cornea.

2)Vascular tunic: The middle layer of the eye ball( choroid , ciliary body ,
iris) consisting mainly of blood vessels and smooth muscle that supply nutrition
to the eyeball ,and control the shape of the lens and the size of the pupil.

A. Choroid : the posterior part of the vascular tunic. It is a thin,dark,highly

vascular membrane inside the sclera. It supplies the retina and serves to absorb
light not reflected out of the eyeball.

-Tapetum lucidum: specialized reflective area of the choroid. It is the reason

animals eyes glow when light is shined in them at night, not present in pigs and
man.

B. Ciliary body: the thickest portion of the vascular tunic between the
choroid and the iris. It consists of the ciliary muscles and ciliary processes.

a- Ciliary muscle: - smooth muscle alterative the shape of the pupils and
the lens it between choroid & iris .

b- Ciliary processes :- folds on inner surface of the ciliary body to anchor

the suspensory ligaments

Suspensory ligaments (zonular fiber): attach the lens to the ciliary

body , hold lens in position , and allow the shape of lens to change due to
action of ciliary muscle .Contraction of the muscles causes the ciliary
ring to shrink towards the lens,this allows the lens take on around
appearance when focusing on close objects.Relaxing the muscles put
tension on the fibers which stretches the lens thin.

C. Iris: the colored part doughnut-shape of the eye surrounding the pupils.
it has two layer of muscle reacting to light to increases or decreases the
size of pupil (regulate the amount of the light entering the eyeball).

The color of Iris determined by number of pigments cells in it .high

number give brown color,a very low number gives blue color .
- Pupils : the central opening of the iris that let light pass into eye .
- Lens : the transparent ,biconvex body of the eye , suspended behind the iris
by the suspensory ligaments , the lens has 2 dense capsule and is arranged in
layers of transparent cell like onion.
3) Nervous tunic (retina): The inner coat of the eye functioning in image
formation. The retina contains three layers of neurons: Photoreceptors, bipolar
neurons, and ganglion neurons.

a- Photoreceptors: the light sensitive ,first layer of the retina .Dendrite of

photoreceptors are the cones and rods.
1- Rods: Dendrites sensitive to dim light (night vision ).
2- Cones: Dendrites sensitive to (color and sharpness vision ).

b- Bipolar neurons :the intermediate layer of the retina receives impulses from
the rods and cones and passes them to the neuronal ganglia.
c- Ganglion neuron : inner layer of retina which pass impulse in their
axons to optic nerve .
***Optic disc: the area on the retina where the axons from the ganglion
neurons leave the eye as the optic nerve .Having no rods or cones, this
area is called the" blind spot".
Interior of eye :

The cavity of the eye, divided by the lens and iris into three chambers.

1. Anterior chamber: the space between the cornea and the iris.
2. Posterior chamber :the space between the iris and lens.

**Aqueous humor: watery fluid, similar to cerebrospinal fluid, filling the

posterior and anterior chambers. Aqueous humor is secreted by the ciliary
processes into the posterior chamber, flows through the pupil into the anterior
chamber ,and drains at the periphery into the sclera venous plexus which leads
to the veins of the eye..It functions to maintain the intraocular pressure and as
nutrient and waste transport medium.

3.Vitreous chamber: the large space lying between the lens and retina. It is
filled with vitreous humor.

*** Vitreous body: the jelly –like substance that fills the vitreous chamber,
maintains the shape of the eye and holds the retina in place.

Accessory structures of the eye:

**Upper and Lower eyelids : the two movable folds protecting the rostral
surface of the eyeball.
** Eyelashes or cilia :hairs coming out of the eyelids. There are sebaceous and
ciliary glands associated with the cilia.

**Lateral and Medial commissures or canthus : The point where eyelids meet
.The lateral and medial angles are the areas near the canthus.

** Lacrimal caruncle: a triangular prominence in the medial angle of the eye.

** Conjunctiva: special M.M. lining the eyelid of eye ball consisting

A. Palpebral conjunctiva: Lines the inner surface of the eyelid.

B. Bulbar conjunctiva : the reflection of the palpebral conjunctiva onto
the eyeball.

** Third eyelid ( Nictitating membrane): the fold of conjunctiva located

between the eyelids medial angle and the eyeball. Retraction of the
eyeball causes the third eyelid to move across and protect the eyeball.
The gland of the third eyelid is a lacrimal gland.
 The muscles of the eye :

There are two types of Muscles :

A- Intrinsic muscles : include the two layer of muscles of Iris which

deal with size of the pupil and ciliary muscles which held the lens in
position.
B- Extrinsic muscles : Which move the eyeball and are located behind it.
1- Dorsal oblique M.
2- Ventral oblique M.
3- Ventral rectus M.
4- Lateral rectus M.
5- Dorsal rectus M.
6- Medial rectus M.
7- Retractor bulbils M.
8- Levator palpebral superior properious muscle

** Orbicularis oculi muscle: surrounds the eye and functions to close

it. It is innervated by the branch of the facial nerve.
 The nerve supply of the eye:

1. The optic nerve II: enters the orbit through the optic foramen.
Sensory nerve of the eye.
2. The Oculomoter nerve III: control the movement of the eyeball. it
enters the orbit through the orbital fissure.
 Supply:

 dorsal, medial, ventral Rectus muscle

 Ventral oblique muscle

3. The abducent nerve VI: enters through the orbital foramen and
innervates most of retractor bulbi and lateral rectus muscles.
4. The trochlear nerve IV: innervate the dorsal oblique muscle.

Anatomy of Ear:
Is a small, complex series of interlinked structures that are involved in both
maintenance of normal balance and the sense of hearing.

It is divided into three portions: The outer, middle, and inner ear

In order to hear, the ear collects the sound waves that arrive as pressure changes
in air and converts these into neurochemical impulses that travel along the
vestibulochoclear nerve to the brain.

For the purposes of describing structure and function the ear is usually split into
four distinct parts which include:

1. external or outer ear: Consist from 1)The outer visible

part called pinna or auricle the fleshy appendage attached
to the side of skull by muscles and ligaments making it very
mobile. It functions to catch and direct sound waves towards
the middle ear.
 2) ear canal called external acoustic meatus
The passageway extend from the pinna to the middle ear
(tympanic cavity).

2. middle ear (tympanic cavity) : The part of the ear inside of ,and including
the tympanic membrane. It contains the auditory ossicles and the opening
of auditory tubes.

Tympanic membrane (Ear drum):

The thin semitransparent partition between the external auditory meatus and
the middle ear. The ear drum is vibrated by sound waves.
Middle ear consist from bones called:
- ossicles - three small bones extending across the middle ear from the
ear drum to the cochlea, that are connected and transmit the sound
waves to the inner ear. The bones are called:
 malleus: the small bone connecting the inner surface of the tympanic
membrane and the incus
 incus : the ossicle between the malleus and stapes.
 stapes: the smallest bone in the body .Its base fits to the oval window
of cochlea.
- Eustachian tube - a canal that links the middle ear with the throat
area. The Eustachian tube helps to equalize the pressure between the
external ear and the middle ear. Having the same pressure allows for
the proper transfer of sound waves. The Eustachian tube is lined with
mucous, just like the inside of the nose and throat.

4. inner ear: Is composite organ consists of :

bony structures which include a series of cavities in the temporal bone
which divided into vestibule, cochlea and semicircular canals .
1)Vestibular portion: which is sensory for position and equilibrium
to vestibulocochlear nerve.
2) Cochlear portion: which is sensory for sounds by receives the
vestibulocochlear nerve
3) semicircular canals seonsory for equilibrium (contain receptors
for balance) to vestibulocochlear nerve.