VISION

OPTICAL SYSTEM OF THE EYE

ACCOMODATION
REFRACTIVE ERRORS

REFRACTION
This is defined as a change in the direction of light when
it moves from one medium to another. For example light
entering the eye is refracted (bent) when it enters the
eye before an image is formed on the retina.
The degree to which the light is refracted depends on
the curvature of the lens surface and the refractive index
of the medium which it encounters.
THE REDUCED EYE (See diagram)
The refractive power of a lens is defined as the
reciprocal of the focal length in air ,the unit is the
diopter. Therefore with a lens of 17mm focal lenghth.,
the calculated refractive power would be 1/0.017
diopters=58.8D

FAR POINT
Objects at or beyond 6 metres (20ft) are regarded
as distant enough for parallel rays to emerge from
from point sources on the object to form a sharp
image on the retina without accommodation. This
is the far point.
NEAR POINT
Rays of light from an object closer than 6
metres(20ft) diverge before reaching the eye and
are therefore brought to focus behind the retina.
ACCOMODATION
When the eye shifts its gaze from far to near
objects( less than 6 metres away), three optical
reflexes ensure that the images fall on the retina
and are clearly seen . these are
Accommodation of the lens
Pupillary constriction
Convergence of the eyeball.
These are collectively called the NEAR RESPONSE
ACCOMODATION
Defined as the ability of the refractive power of
the lens to reflexly increase as the lens become
more convex.The increase in the convexity of the
lens is brought about parasympathetic mediated
contraction of the ciliary muscles which relaxes the
tension in the suspensory ligaments. This allows
the lens to assume a m0re convex shape thereby
increasing the refractive power of the eye so that
diverging rays from nearby objects are brought to a
focus on the retina..
PUPILLARY CONSTRICTION
Simultaneously with the accomodation of the lens
is reflex constriction of the pupil also caused by the
parasympathetic- mediated contraction of the
circular fibres of the iris.Pupillary constriction
serves to exclude the periphery of the crystalline
lens where spherical and chromatic aberration are
the greatest. It also increases the depth of focus,
CONVERGENCE OF THE EYEBALLS
A reflex contracton of the medial recti muscles
(extrinsic eye muscle) causes convergence of the
eyeballs so that the image of near objects falls on
corresponding points on the retina , this averts
double vision (diplopia).
PUPILLARY LIGHT REFLEXES
When light is flashed into one eye, the pupil of that
eye constricts. This is called the direct light reflex.
At the same time,it will be noticed that the pupil of
the other eye also constricts even though not as
rigorously as the first, this is the consensual light
reflex.
REFRACTIVE ERRORS
There are four main types of refractive errors
 1 Presbyopia
2 Hypermetropia ( far-sightedness)
3 Myopia (near-sightedness)
4 Astigmatism
Presbyopia
The lens becomes gradually less elastic with
advancing age and the near point recedes slowly
up to the age of 40years and then rapidly until age
50 thereafter slows down again.,the first sign being
the inability to read printed matter at the normal
reading distance.Under this condition,books have
to be held out far away before letters can be in
focus, ultimately convex lenses become necessary
for reading.This loss of accomodationd in old age
due to increasing stiffness of the lens is known as
presbyopia.
HYPERMETROPIA(far-sightedness).
In this condition,the anteroposterior length of the
eyeball is too short as a result,, parallel rays are
brought to focus behind the retina as a result the
image is blurred.To correct this defect a biconvex
lens in prescribed.
MYOPIA
In this condition, the anteroposterior diameter of
the eyeball is longer than normal so that parallel
rays from distant objects are focused in front of
the retina, causing blurring of vision.It is corrected
by means of biconcave lens which diverge parallel
rays slightly before they enter the eyes.

ASTIGMATISM
In the normal eye, the refractive surfaces of the
cornea and the crystalline lens are spherical with
equal curvatures in all meridians. In astigmatism,
the cornea has different radii of curvature for
different meridians therefore objects in different
meridians are not focused at the same time due to
the unevenness of the cornea. This defect is
corrected by the use of cylindrical lenses or by the
use of combined spherical and cylindrical lenses so
as to equalize the refractions in the meridians of
the least and greatest curvatures.