Exercise 11: Vision

1. Gross Anatomy
• Accessory structures
o Lacrimal apparatus
 Lacrimal gland
 Lacrimal ducts
 Lacrimal canaliculi
 Lacrimal sac
 Nasolacrimal duct
o Palpebrae (eyelids)
o Medial canthus (commissure)
o Lateral canthus (commissure)
o Caruncle
o Conjunctiva
 Palpebral conjunctiva
 Ocular conjunctiva
o Tarsal (Meibomian) glands
• Fibrous tunic
o Cornea
o Sclera
• Vascular tunic (uvea)
o Iris
 Circular muscles (pupillary constrictors)
 Radial muscles (pupillary dilators)
o Ciliary body
 Ciliary processes
 Suspensory ligaments
o Choroid
• Pupil
• Lens
• Neural tunic
o Ora serrata
o Retina
o Fovea centralis
o Optic disc (blind spot)
o Retinal artery
o Retinal vein
• Optic nerve

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• Anterior cavity (segment)
o Anterior chamber
o Posterior chamber
o Aqueous humor
o Scleral venous sinus
• Posterior cavity (segment)
o Vitreous humor

frontal bone

levator palpebrae superioris

orbicularis oculi
lacrimal gland

superior
lacrimal ducts
rectus

lacrimal sac
cornea

puncta
conjunctiva
lacrimal canal
nasal cavity lateral
nasolacrimal duct rectus

inferior
nostril rectus

Figure 11.1 Accessory Eye Structures

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 vitreous chamber
lateral rectus
scleral venous sinus
sclera
suspensory ligaments
choroid
lens
retina cornea
iris

fovea centralis pupil

optic (II) nerve posterior chamber

anterior chamber
central retinal suspensory ligaments
artery and vein
ciliary process
optic disc
ciliary (muscle)
medial rectus

Figure 11.2 Eyeball, sagittal

2. Extrinsic Eye Muscles

• Identify the following muscles. For each, describe the movements they are responsible
for and the name of the cranial nerve that innervates the muscle.

Muscle Cranial Nerve Movements

Superior oblique Trochlear nerve abducts, depresses and internally
(IV) rotates the eye

Superior rectus Ocularmotor elevates, intorsion, and rotates medially

III

Lateral rectus Abducens nerve abducts eyeball

(VI)

Medial rectus Ocularmotor adducts eyeball

III

Inferior oblique
Ocularmotor extorsion, elevation, and abduction
III

Inferior rectus Ocularmotor depresses the eye (downgaze)

III

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 superior oblique
trochlea superior trochlea
rectus
superior oblique
tendon superior oblique
superior rectus

lateral rectus

lateral rectus medial rectus

inferior oblique inferior rectus

common tendinous ring inferior rectus inferior oblique

Figure 11.3 Extraocular Muscles

3. Intrinsic Eye Muscles of the Iris

• The parasympathetic division of the ANS regulates pupil constriction.
• The sympathetic division of the ANS regulates pupil dilation.
• Name two things that cause the pupil to constrict. bright light, opiods

• Name two things that cause the pupil to dilate. darkness (lack of light), stimulants

3. Histology of the eye

Sclera
Choroid
Retina
• Pigmented epithelium
• Photoreceptors (rods and cones)
• Bipolar cells
• Ganglion cells

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4. Activities
• Demonstrating the Blind Spot
• Hold the card 18 inches from your eye.
• Use your other hand to cover your left eye.
• Position the card so the X is directly in line with your right eye.
• Move the card slowly toward your face, keeping your right eye focused on the X.
• When the dot focuses on the blind spot, it will disappear
o What is the blind spot and why does the image disappear? the blind spot is where the
retina contains the optic disc, and there are no rods and cones there since the space is

occupied by thick nerve fiber

o What is the location of the optic disc compared to the fovea? the optic disc is more
medial and the fovea is more lateral on the retina

Figure 11.4 Blind Spot Test

• Determining Near Point of Vision

o Hold a straight pin at arm’s length in front of one eye.
o With the other eye closed, move the pin slowly towards your eye.
o Stop when the image becomes distorted and measure the distance.
o Repeat with the other eye.
 Near point for right eye 12 cm

 Near point for left eye 13 cm

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• Testing for Astigmatism
o Use the astigmatism chart in lab to test for unequal curvature of the lens.
o View the chart with one eye and then the other.
o If all radiating lines are equally dark, there is no astigmatism.
o If some of the lines are blurry or lighter in color compared to the others, then an
astigmatism is present.

• Testing for Color Blindness

o With your lab partner, look through the Ishihara color plates holding them 30
inches away.
o Report what you see on each plate.
o Check your accuracy with the answers provided.

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 • Testing Visual Acuity
o Stand 20 feet away from a Snellen eye chart.
o Covering one eye, read the smallest visible line and then switch eyes.
o Interpreting the test:
 20/20 is typical
 If the bottom number is larger than 20 (like 20/40), the person is myopic
 If the bottom number is smaller than 20 (like 20/15), the person has vision
better than typical.

Figure 11.5 Sample Snellen Eye Chart

5. Define the following terms.

• Refraction bending of light rays as they pass through one object to another. The cornea and lens
refract light rays to focus them on the retina.

• Focal Point light focuses precisely on the retina at a location called the focal point

• Focal Distance the distance between the subject you are focusing to the lens

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 • Accommodation correction of vision problems, e.g. with prescription lenses

• Emmetropia 20/20 vision, an eye that has no refractive error or visual defects

• Myopia nearsightedness, occurs if the eyeball is too long or the cornea is too curved

• Hyperopia farsightedness in which distant objects are usually seen more clearly than close ones
due to the shape of the eye

• Presbyopia farsightedness caused by loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye

6. Eye Dissection
• Cut away the fat and muscle.
• Make the first incision where the sclera meets the cornea.
o Cut until the aqueous humor is released.
o Rotate the eye and cut around the cornea.
o Once the cornea is removed, make a frontal cut creating front and back portions
of the eye.
o Beneath the cornea is the iris with the pupil passing through the iris.
o On the posterior side of the iris, view the ciliary body and ora serrata.
o The posterior portion of the eye is filled with the gelatinous vitreous humor
o Remove the lens. It resembles a squished marble.
o Identify the brown membranous structure which is the retina.
o Carefully move the retina around until you see its attachment point at the optic
disc.
o Underneath the retina is the choroid, which is blue-black and iridescent.

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 Choroid

Retina

Pupil
Lens
Ciliary
Body
Vitreous Lens
Humor

Sclera Cornea

Iris
Figure 11.6 Cow Eye

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 Lab 11: Terminology List
Eye Structures
Lacrimal apparatus Neural tunic
Lacrimal glands Ora serrata
Lacrimal ducts Retina
Lacrimal canaliculi Fovea centralis
Lacrimal sac Optic disc
Nasolacrimal duct Retinal artery
Palpebrae Retinal vein
Medial canthus (commissure) Optic nerve
Lateral canthus (commissure) Anterior cavity (segment)
Caruncle Anterior chamber
Conjunctiva Posterior chamber
Palpebral conjunctiva Aqueous humor
Ocular conjunctiva Scleral venous sinus
Tarsal (Meibomian) glands Posterior cavity (segment)
Fibrous tunic Vitreous humor
Cornea Superior oblique
Sclera Superior rectus
Vascular tunic Lateral rectus
Iris Medial rectus
Circular muscles Inferior oblique
Radial muscles Inferior rectus
Ciliary body
Ciliary processes
Suspensory ligaments Histology
Choroid Sclera
Pupil Choroid
Lens Retina
Pigmented layer
Photoreceptors
Bipolar cells
Ganglion cells

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Additional Notes

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 Image Citations
Figure 11.1 Accessory Eye Structures
• This work by Cenveo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United
States (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/).
Figure 11.2 Eyeball, sagittal view
• OpenStax College (2013). Anatomy and Physiology. OpenStax College. Adapted from
https://openstax.org/details/books/anatomy-and-physiology
Figure 11.3 Extraocular Muscles
• OpenStax College (2013). Anatomy and Physiology. OpenStax College. Adapted from
https://openstax.org/details/books/anatomy-and-physiology
Figure 11.4 Blind Spot Test
• Mirkes, S. J. (2021) This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Figure 11.5 Snellen eye chart
• Khex14 (2014) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sample_Snellen_chart.jpg
Figure 11.6 Cow Eye
• Mirkes, S. J. (2021) This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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