The
Human
Eye
Topic 8
Learning Outcomes
l) Describe the gross structure of the eye as seen in front view and
horizontal section.
m) State the principal functions of component parts of the eye in
producing a focused image of near and distant objects on the
retina.
n) Describe the pupil reflex in response to bright and dim light.
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Rectus muscles:
voluntary muscles
that contract and
relax to move the
eye within the eye
socket
Sclera
Cornea
Pupil
Iris
The Human Eye
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Vertical section of the Eye
Choroid:
Black pigmented middle
Suspensory ligaments: layer of the eyeball
Inelastic cords that attach the prevent the internal
edge of the lens to the ciliary body reflection of light.
Contains blood
capillaries that carry
oxygen and nutrients to
Lens: retina cells while
Elastic, transparent, circular removing metabolic
and biconvex structure waste products.
which changes its shape or
thickness in order to refract
light onto the retina
Ciliary body:
Contains ciliary muscles
which control the curvature Retina:
and thickness of the lens Contains light-sensitive cells known
as photoreceptors, which consist of
rods and cones
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Aqueous humor:
Space between the lens
and the cornea, which is
filled with aqueous humour, Fovea
a transparent watery fluid. A small yellow depression
Aqueous humour keeps the where images are focused.
front of the eyeball firm and Contains cones but not
refracts light into the pupil. rods. Enables a person to
have detailed colour vision
in bright light.
Vitreous humor:
Space behind the lens which is
filled with vitreous humour, a Optic nerve:
transparent jelly-like substance. Nerve that transmits
Vitreous humour keeps eyeball nerve impulses to the
firm and refracts light onto the Blind spot: brain upon stimulation
retina. Region where the optic nerve leaves of the photoreceptors
the eye. Does not contain rods or
cones, therefore not sensitive to light.
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T.S of monkey eye
Vitreous chamber
Iris (humor)
Cornea
Pupil
Blind spot
Lens
Aqueous chamber
Optic nerve
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What is the Pupil Reflex?
It is a reflex action, an immediate response of the pupil to different light
intensities, without conscious control.
The pupil changes its diameter / size due to changes in light intensity.
dilate in low light intensity
constricts in high light intensity
Stimulus Receptor Sensory neurone
A change in detected Photoreceptors generate
nerve impulses in optic nerve
light intensity by in the retina
transmit nerve
impulses to
Effector Relay neurone
transmit nerve Motor transmit nerve
circular and in brain
impulses to neurone impulses to
radial muscles of iris
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How does the Iris control
the amount of light
entering the eyes?
The size of the pupil is
controlled by a set of
involuntary muscles, the
circular and radial muscles.
Antagonistic muscles
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The Pupil Reflex: Low Light Intensity
Photoreceptors in the retina are stimulated by the low light intensity
and generate nerve impulses.
Nerve impulses are transmitted by the sensory neurone via a
synapse to the relay neurone which synapse with the motor neurone.
Motor neurone transmits the nerve impulses to the effector, which is
the iris (muscles).
The circular muscles of the iris relax while the radial muscles
contract.
This causes the pupil to dilate, increasing the amount of light entering
the eye.
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The Pupil Reflex: High Light Intensity
Photoreceptors in the retina are stimulated by the high light intensity
and generate nerve impulses.
Nerve impulses are transmitted by the sensory neurone via a
synapse to the relay neurone which synapse with the motor neurone.
Motor neurone transmits the nerve impulses to the effector, which is
the iris (muscles).
The circular muscles of the iris contract while the radial muscles
relax.
This causes the pupil to constrict, reducing the amount of light
entering the eye.
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Focusing / Accommodation
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Focusing or Accommodation
Definition
The adjustment of the curvature or thickness of the lens of the
eye so that clear images of objects at different distances are formed
on the retina.
Accommodation is possible because the lens is elastic.
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How do we see?
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How do we see?
1. Light falling on an object is reflected in all directions. Some reflected light
enters the eye.
2. The light rays are refracted through the cornea and the aqueous humour onto
the lens.
3. The lens causes further refraction and the rays converge to focus on the
retina.
4. The image formed on the retina is:
Vertically inverted (upside down)
Laterally inverted
Diminished (smaller in size than actual object)
5. The image on the retina stimulates photoreceptors to generate nerve
impulses which are transmitted to the brain by sensory neurones in the optic
nerve.
6. The brain interprets the impulses so that the object is seen the right way up
and the right size.
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Focusing for distant vision (7 metres or more)
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Focusing for distant vision (7 metres or more)
When a person looks at a distant object, the light rays reflecting off the object
are almost parallel to each other when they reach the eye.
Parallel rays are refracted by the cornea and the lens, focusing the object on
the retina.
1. Ciliary muscles relax, pulling on the suspensory ligaments.
2. Suspensory ligaments become taut (or are pulled tight), pulling on the
edge of the lens.
3. The lens become thinner and less convex, increasing its focal length.
4. Light rays from the distant object are sharply focused on the retina
5. Photoreceptors are stimulated and nerve impulses are transmitted by the
optic nerve to the brain. The brain interprets the impulses and the person
sees the distant object clearly.
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Focusing for near vision
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Focusing for near vision
When a person is looking at a near object, diverging light rays are reflecting
off the object into the eye.
These are refracted by the cornea, aqueous humour and onto the lens.
1. Ciliary muscles contract, relaxing the pull on the suspensory ligaments.
2. Suspensory ligaments slacken, relaxing their pull on the lens.
3. The lens become thicker and more convex, decreasing its focal length.
4. Light rays from the near object are sharper focused on the retina.
5. Photoreceptors are stimulated and nerve impulses are transmitted by the
optic nerve to the brain. The brain interprets the impulses and the person
sees the near object clearly.
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Focusing for near vision
The nearer the object, the more the ciliary muscles will contract and
the thicker the lens will be.
However, there is a point called the near point, where the object is
so close to the eye that in order to see it clearly, the ciliary muscle
must contract fully and the lens become most convex.
If the object is moved still nearer to the eye, the image on the retina
will be blurred because the lens cannot adjust further.
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Note
The suspensory ligaments are structures that attach the lens to
the ciliary body.
The function of suspensory ligaments is to transmit force from the
ciliary muscle to the lens.
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Ciliary Muscle and Suspensory Ligaments
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Short-sightedness or Myopia
The eyeball is longer than
normal.
The eye can still focus on near
objects but the parallel rays
from distant objects cannot be
focused onto the retina
brought to a focus in front of the
retina blurred image
Correction: wear concave
lenses to diverge the rays
before the reach the eye.
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Short-sightedness or Myopia
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Old-sightedness or presbyopia
Not caused by abnormal change in the shape of eyeball.
In old age, the ciliary muscles weaken and the lens lose its elasticity.
Distant objects can be seen clearly but full focusing for near vision is
not possible.
Correction: wear convex lenses for near vision (e.g. reading)
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Astigmatism
Astigmatism occurs when
the cornea or lens is curved
more steeply in one
direction than in another.
If either the cornea or the
lens is egg-shaped with two
mismatched curves, light
rays aren't bent the same,
which means that two
different images form. These
two images overlap or
combine and result in
blurred vision.
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Glaucoma
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Retina Detachment
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