EYE

The human eye is a complex structure that can detect light, form images and distinguish colors. A vertical
section shows that its walls are made up of three layers:
1. Sclera
2. Choroid
3. Retina

1. SCLERA
it is the visible white part of the eye that forms the outermost layer of the eyeball. It is tough and opaque. It
protects the inner parts of the eye from injury.
⮚ CORNEA
At the front of the eye the sclera becomes transparent and forms a small bulge known as the cornea. It allows
light to enter the eye and refract the light rays towards the lens.
2. CHOROID
Underneath the sclera, there is a dark pigmented layer called the choroid. It contains pigment cells as well as
blood vessels. It stops light rays from being reflected around inside the eyes and the blood vessels provide
food and oxygen to the eye cells.
⮚ CILIARY BODY
The anterior end of the choroid is modified to form the ciliary body which contains the ciliary muscles. They
alter the thickness of the lens.
⮚ IRIS
It is the colored part of the eye that forms a disc like structure with a hole in the center. It contains two sets of
muscles, circular muscles – arranged in a ring like pattern and radial muscles – arranged like spokes of a wheel.
⮚ PUPIL
It is a hole in the center of the eye that controls the amount of light entering the eye.
⮚ LENS
Situated behind the iris, is a crystalline, transparent, biconvex lens. It is elastic in nature and held in place by
suspensory ligaments which are attached to the ciliary body. It focuses light rays on the retina to form an
image.
3. RETINA
It is the innermost layer of the eye which is light sensitive. It contains photoreceptors or light sensitive cells
called rods and cones. Rods are sensitive to dim light and are concerned with black and white vision while
cones are sensitive to bright light and help see different colors. Images are formed on the retina. These images
are inverted, reversed and smaller in size.
⮚ FOVEA
It is an area at the center of the retina where most of the light rays are focused. It only contains cone cells. A
very sharp image is formed on the fovea.
⮚ BLIND SPOT
The area of the where an image cannot be formed due to the absence of rods and cones. It is where the optic
nerve leaves the eye.

OPTIC NERVE
It leaves the eye at the blind spot. It carries nerve impulses to and from the brain.
AQUEOUS HUMOR
It is a watery fluid present between the cornea and lens. It keeps the eyeball firm.
VITREOUS HUMOR
It is a transparent jelly-like substance present between the lens and retina. It also keeps the eyeball firm.
CONJUNCTIVA
It is a tough, thin, transparent membrane present outside the cornea. It is continuous under the skin of the
eyelids and is kept moist by tears secreted by the tear gland.

IRIS REFLEX
Change in the size of the pupil according to the amount of light entering the eye.
Dilation of pupil in dim light
Circular muscles relax and radial muscles contract to increase the size of the pupil so that more light can enter
the eye.

Constriction of pupil in bright light

Circular muscles contract and radial muscles relax to decrease the size of the pupil to reduce the amount of
intense light entering the eye.

ACCOMODATION
These are the changes that take place in the eye to allow us to see objects at different distances.
Focusing on distant objects
In order to focus on a distant object, ciliary muscles relax and suspensory ligaments get stretched. This
increases the pull on the lens and it becomes thinner and less convex. Since the rays coming from a distant
object are parallel, they need less bending to form an image.
Eyes at rest are focused for far vision.

Focusing on nearby objects

Since the rays coming from nearby objects are divergent, they need to bend more to form a sharp image on
the retina. In order to achieve that, the ciliary muscles contract, the suspensory ligaments slacken and loosen
their pull on the lens making it fatter or more convex.