Coordination

and Control -
The Eye
Objectives 6.9 - 6.12
Class Objectives

• To relate the internal structures of the eye to

their functions
• To explain how images are formed in the eye
• To explain accommodation in the eye
• To discuss the causes of, and corrective
measures for eye defects and diseases
Response to Stimuli

• Sense organs contain specialised receptor cells that detect changes

in the environment ,i.e. stimuli.
• The cells turn these stimuli into electrical impulses which travel along
sensory neurones to the CNS.
• The cerebrum of the brain then interprets these messages as
sensations of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching.
Response to Stimuli
Sense Organ Specialized Receptor Cells Stimuli Detected
Eyes Rods and cones (photoreceptors) in the Light.
retina.
Ears Mechanoreceptor cells in the inner ear. Sound waves and the
position of the head.
Nose Olfactory cells (chemoreceptors) in the Chemicals in the air.
top of the nasal cavities.
Tongue Taste receptor cells (chemoreceptors) Chemicals in food. Four
in the taste buds. tastes are detected; sweet,
sour, salty and bitter.
Skin • Touch receptor cells. • Touch and texture.
• Pressure receptor cells. • Pressure.
• Pain receptor cells. • Pain and itching.
• Temperature receptor cells. • Hot and Cold.
The Eye
• The eye detects light that has been reflected from an
object and converts it into nerve impulses.
• The impulses are transmitted along the optic nerve to
the brain, which translates them into a precise picture
of the object.
• The eyes are situated in bony sockets of the skull
called orbits and have muscles attached to move
them.
• The orbits protect the back of each eye from
damage, and the eyelids and eyelashes protect the
front from foreign particles.
• Tears, produced by tear glands above each eye, keep
the eyes moist, wash away foreign particles and
contain an enzyme that destroys microorganisms
Image
Formation
• To see, light rays from an
object are refracted (bent)
as they enter the eye so
that they form a clear
image of the object on the
receptor cells of the retina.
• Being convex in shape,
both the cornea and the
lens refract the light rays
Formation of an Image in the Eye
Detection of light intensity and
colour by the eye
The retina is composed of two types of specialised light-sensitive cells
or photoreceptors (Rods and Cones):
Rods function in low light intensities.:
- They are responsible for detecting the brightness of light
- Are located around the sides of the retina.
- Images falling on the rods are seen in shades of black and white
only.
Detection of light intensity and
colour by the eye
Cones function in high light intensities:
- They are responsible for detecting colour and fine detail
- They are mainly located around the back of the retina.
- The fovea is composed entirely of cones which are packed closely
together.
- There are three types which detect either the red, green or blue
wavelengths of light.
 High Light Intensity (Bright
Low Light Intensity (Dim Light)
Light)

Pupils Narrow To Reduce The Pupils Dilate To Allow As Much Light

Amount Of Light Entering. In As Possible.

Radial Muscles Relax. Radial Muscles Contract.

Circular Muscles Contract. Circular Muscles Relax.

Control of the The size of the pupil controls the

amount of light entering the eye.
amount of light Muscles of the iris control the pupil
entering the eye size.
Focusing light onto the retina –
accommodation
• By changing shape, the lens makes fine adjustments to focus the light
rays onto the retina. Changing the shape of the lens to focus light
coming from different distances onto the retina is called
accommodation and it is brought about by the ciliary muscles in the
ciliary body.
Image Showing The Accommodation Of The Eye
Sight defects and corrections
Sight Defects
And Corrections

• Short-sightedness
(myopia)
• Long-sightedness
(hypermetropia)
• Astigmatism
• Glaucoma
• Cataract
Short- A person with short sight can see
near objects clearly, but distant
sightedness objects are out of focus.

(myopia) Light rays from near objects focus on

the retina; light rays from distant
objects focus in front of the retina.

It is caused by the eyeball being too

long from front to back or the lens
being too curved (thick).

It is corrected by wearing diverging

(concave) lenses as spectacles or
contact lenses.
Long-sightedness
(Hypermetropia)

A person with long sight Light rays from distant

can see distant objects objects focus on the retina;
clearly, but near objects are light rays from near objects
out of focus. focus behind the retina.

It is caused by the eyeball

being too short from front It is corrected by wearing
to back or the lens being converging (convex)
too flat (thin).
Astigmatism

Both near and distant object appear blurry or distorted to a

person who has astigmatism.

It occurs if the cornea or lens is unevenly curved so not all light

rays are equally refracted and not all focus on the retina.

It is corrected by wearing unevenly curved lenses that

counteract the uneven curvature in the eye.
Astigmatism
Glaucoma
• Glaucoma is a condition in which the pressure of the fluid within the
eye increases due to the flow of aqueous humour from the eye being
blocked.
• If left untreated, the optic nerve becomes damaged, and it can lead to
blindness.
• The most common type develops slowly and causes a gradual loss of
peripheral (side) vision.
• Glaucoma is treated with eye drops to reduce fluid production or
improve the flow of fluid from the eye, or by laser treatment or
surgery to open the drainage channels.
Cataract
• A cataract is a cloudy area that
forms in the lens.
• It develops slowly and, as it
increases in size, it leads to
cloudy or blurred vision, halos
forming around lights, colours
appearing faded and difficulty
seeing in bright light and at
night.
• It is usually caused by ageing
and is usually corrected by
surgery to remove the clouded
lens and to replace it with an
artificial lens
END OF SESSION