6TH FEBRUARY 2012

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE EYE

 Describe the role of all the structures

of the eye (C/B)
 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil
reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at
rest (B) and explain how it
accommodates sight for near objects
(A)
 THE ROLE OF
EACH
STRUCTURE

 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)

 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)
 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
DESCRIBING THE PUPIL REFLEX
• The eye is responsible for controlling the amount
of light falling on the retina.
• Too much light – damage to light sensitive cells
• Too little light – not enough stimulus to cells
• Light passes through the cornea and the through
the pupil.

 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)

 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
• 2 sets of muscles in
the iris:
1. Circular
2. Radial
• These have opposite
effects:
1. Contraction of
radial causes pupils
to dilate
2. Contraction of
circular causes
pupils to constrict
• Muscles having
opposite effects
known as
‘anatgonistic’
 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)
 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
PUPIL REFLEXES

 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)

 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
FOCUSING…..
 At rest the eye naturally focuses on distant
objects, therefore the eye has to work at
focussing on near objects.
 The cornea and lens together work at focusing
the image on the retina.
 Most refraction is at the cornea.
 The lens provides fine focus by changing shape to
provide for more or less refraction.
 Lens is enclosed in a capsule made of elastic
fibres, attached to the suspensory ligaments to
facilitate these changes.
 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)
 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
SEEING THINGS
Rays of light are refracted
(bent) first by the cornea
and then by the lens. They
focus on the retina.

 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)

 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
…..
 The light rays then converge towards the retina.
 The lens is able to precisely focus the image because
of its ability to change shape.
 Focusing on a distant object, the lens becomes
thinner.
 Focusing on a near object, the lens becomes fatter.

 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)

 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
SEEING THINGS AT DIFFERENT DISTANCES
For distant objects the
ciliary muscles relax
and the suspensory
ligaments pull tight
making the lens pull
thin – the light doesn’t
bend as much.

For close objects the

ciliary muscles contract
allowing the lens to go
fat, thus bending the
light more.
Distant Objects
 Lens pulled into thin shape by tension from the suspensory ligaments.
 Tension caused by:
 relaxed cillary muscles. These relaxed muscles cause suspensory ligaments to
be pulled taut.
 Outward pressure of eye fluids on the wall of the eyeball.

Near Objects
 Focusing on near objects known as accomodation
 To do this the lens has to shorten to redirect the diverging rays:
 Cillary muscles contract.
 Suspensary ligaments slacken
 Therefore the pull on the lens is reduced.
 Elastic fibres in the lens capsule contract, forcing the lens into a round
shape.
 Lens now has a shorter focal length, therefore refracting the light
more.

 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)

 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)
 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
 Describe the role of all the structures of the eye (C/B)
 Describe (B) and explain how the pupil reflex works (A)
 Describe the eye’s focussing ability at rest (B) and explain how it accommodates sight for near objects (A)
The Retina

 2 types of light sensitive cells in

the human retina:
 Rods
 Cones
 They have the same basic structure, differing in the shape
and pigment they contain.
 Rod cells have ‘rhodopsin’
 Cone cells have ‘iodopsin’.
 These pigments get bleached in sunlight.
 The bleaching however is reversible.
Rods and Cones

Your Task:

Draw and label all the

organelles on a rod
and cone cell