SPECIAL SENSES-VISION

Moses Kazevu (Bsc Human Biology)

Secrets of Physio
 OBJECTIVES
1. FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY OF THE EYE
2. EYE OPTICS AND IMAGE FORMATION
3. PHYSIOLOGY OF VISION
4. VISUAL PATHWAY
5. REFLEXES: ACCOMODATION AND PUPILARY REFLEXES
6. APPLIED ASPECTS AND CLINICALLY RELEVANT
CONDITIONS
 PUPILARY REFLEXES

1. LIGHT REFLEXES
2. CILIOSPINAL REFLEXES
3. ACCOMODATION REFLEX
 LIGHT REFLEX
• This is a reflex in which the pupil constricts when light is flashed into
the eyes.
• It is of two types:
• Direct light reflex: there is constriction of pupil in an eye when light
is thrown into that eye.
• Indirect light reflex: involves constriction of pupil in both eyes when
light is thrown into one eye. It is also called consensual light reflex.
PATHWAY FOR THE LIGHT REFLEX
• Fibers of light reflex pathway and the fibers of visual pathway
are the same up to optic tract. Beyond that these two sets of
fibers are separated.
• When light falls on the eye, the visual receptors are stimulated.
• Afferent (Sensory) impulses from the receptors pass through
optic nerve, optic chiasma and optic tract.
• At the midbrain level, few fibers get separated from optic tract and
synapse on the neurons of pretectal nucleus which lies close to the
superior colliculus.
• Pretectal nucleus of midbrain forms the center for light reflexes.
• Both pretectal nuclei are connected by the posterior commissure.
• Efferent (motor) impulses from the pretectal nucleus are carried by short
fibers to Edinger-Westphal nucleus (parasympathetic nucleus) of
oculomotor nerve (third cranial nerve).
• From Edinger-Westphal nucleus (parasympathetic) of oculomotor reach
the ciliary ganglion.
• Post-ganglionic fibers arising from ciliary ganglion pass through short
ciliary nerves and reach the eyeball. These fibers cause contraction of
constrictor pupillae muscle of iris.
• Contraction of the constrictor pupilae is mediated by M3
receptors which are Gq coupled receptors (Phopholipase C,
DAG and IP3)
• Reason for consensual light reflex is that, some fibers from pretectal
nucleus of one side cross to the opposite side and end on opposite
Westphal nucleus.
• In neurosyphilis, light reflexes are lost due to a lesion in the pretectal
nucleus.
• Pupilary dilation is caused by contraction of the dilator pupillae which is
supplied by the sympathetic nerve.
 CILIOSPINAL REFLEXES
• Ciliospinal reflex is the dilatation of pupil in eyes caused by painful
stimulation of skin over the neck.
• It is due to the contraction of dilator pupillae muscles.
• Sensory impulses pass through cutaneous afferent nerve.
• The center is in first thoracic spinal segment.
• Efferent pass through sympathetic fibers and reach dilator pupillae.
 ACCOMMODATION
• This is the adjustment of eye to see either near or distant objects clearly.
• It is a process by which light rays from near objects or distant objects are brought to a focus
on sensitive parts of the retina.
• It is achieved by various adjustments made in the eyeball.
 NEAR VISION ACCOMMODATION
• This is achieved by:
• Convergence of eyeballs by contraction medial recti.
• Constriction of the pupil by contraction of constrictor pupillae of iris.
• Increase in the anterior curvature of the lens due to contraction of the
ciliary muscle.

Remember the 3 C’s:

Convergence,
Constriction and
Curvature
ACCOMMODATION
 PATHWAY FOR ACCOMMODATION
REFLEX
• Afferent: visual impulses from retina pass through the optic nerve, optic
chiasma, optic tract, lateral geniculate body and optic radiation to visual
cortex (area 17) of occipital lobe. From here the associated fibers carry
the impulses to frontal lobe.
• Center: the center of accommodation lies in frontal eye field (area 8) that
is situated in the frontal lobe of cerebral cortex.
 EFFERENT FIBERS TO CILIARY
MUSCLE AND SPHINCTER
PUPILLAE
• Efferent fibers to ciliary muscle and sphincter pupillae:
• From area 8, the corticonuclear fibers pass via internal capsule to the
Edinger-Westphal nucleus of third cranial nerve.
• From here, the preganglionic fibers pass through the third cranial
nerve to ciliary ganglion.
• Postganglionic fibers from ciliary ganglion pass via the short ciliary
nerve and supply the ciliary muscle and constrictor pupillae.
 EFFERENT FIBERS TO MEDIAL
RECTUS
• Some of the fibers from frontal eye field terminate in the somatic motor
nucleus of oculomotor nerve. The fibers from motor nucleus supply
medial rectus.
ACCOMMODATION
• The farthest point from the eye at which the object can be seen is called far
point or punctum remotum.
• In the normal eye, it is infinite i.e. at a distance beyond the normal 6 meters
or 20 feet, it is limited only by the size of object, clearness of the
atmosphere.
• The nearest point from eye at which the object is seen clearly is called near
point or punctum proximum. It is about 7 to 40cm depending upon the age.
• Distance between far point and near point is called range of
accommodation.
• In Presbyopia: old age decreases the ability of the eye to accommodate
and the near point is away from the eye (DISCUSSED IN NEXT
REVIEW LECTURE)
THANK YOU

Secrets of Physio