OPTICAL SYSTEM OF HUMAN

EYE
Learning outcomes
Optical system introduction
Components of optical pathway
 Cornea
 Iris and pupil
 Lens
 Viterious
 Retina
 Camera and the eye
 Questions
 Introduction
• Eye is a compound optical system.

• It is an adaptive optical system.

• Various elements in the path of light.

COMPONENTS of light pathway
1. The Cornea
2. The Anterior Chamber
3. The Iris and Pupil
4. The Crystalline Lens
5. The Retina
The Cornea
 Reasons of refraction.

 Curvature.

 Significant difference in refractive

indices of air and cornea.

 Cornea is a highly transparent

The Corneal Shape

 Meniscus lens.
 Vertical diameter slightly less than
horizontal.
• Front apical radius 7.7mm = 48.83 D
• Back apical radius 6.8mm = -5.88 D
 Actual refractive index of cornea = 1.376
 Power of Cornea = +43 D
 Not optically homogeneous.
The Anterior Chamber
• Cavity between cornea and iris.

• Filled with aqueous humour, water content 98%.

• Depth of A.C. about 2.5 – 4.0mm.

• Refractive index of aqueous humour – 1.336

The Iris and Pupil
• Regulate amount of light entering of eye.

• Effect on quality of images.

• At 2.4mm pupil size, best retinal image obtained as

aberration and diffraction are balanced.

• Size can be effected by external or secondary

agencies – Drugs, Emotions, etc.
Pupil Size and Effects
• Pinhole aperture if placed, size of blur circle reduce.
- Uncorrected myopia individual squint to obtain a pinhole
effect.
• Pinhole improvement- Possibility of corneal/lenticular light
scattering, irregular astigmation.

• Average size: 2.4mm

• Small pupil Depth of focus increases.
: Concept used as pinhole test in refraction.
• Large pupil Retinal image quality improves.
: Size of blur circle increases.
The Crystalline Lens
• Thickness Birth 3.5 - 4mm.
Adult 4.75 – 5mm.
• Radius of curvature
Anterior surface
10mm.
• Refractive index of lens
Posterior surface 6mm.
Nucleus 1.41
Pole 1.385
Equator 1.375
• Total power.
15 – 18 D
• Accomodative power At Birth 14 – 16 D
At Adult 7 – 8 D
At 50 years 1 – 2 D
Accomodation
• Provide a mechanisms of focusing at different distance.

Optical changes in cataractous lens

• Visual changes acuity reduction.
• Myopic shift.
• Monocular diplopia.
• Glare.
• Colour shift.
• Visual field loss.

Vitreous
• Refractive index same as a aqueous.
The Retina
• Maximum resolving power of fovea.
• A concave spherical surface with r = -12mm
• Advantage of curvature of retina over plane image forming
surface of camera as and optical instruments.
• The curved images formed by the optical system is
brought in the right order.
• A much wider field of view is covered by the steeply curved
retina.
 Camera
• Eye lids Shutter

• Lens Focusing system

• Cornea Focusing system

• Iris Diaphragm

• Choroid Dark chamber

• Retina Light sensitive

 Transparency of lens

• During early stages – Opaque.

• Later on becomes transparent.
• Avascular.
• Absences of chromophores.
• Presence of highly organised structure.
• Perfect packing of crystalline cause minimal light scatter.
• Newly formed cortical fibers do not scatter light.
• Regular arrangement of lens fibers with minimal
intracellular space.
• Combined refractive index of epithelial layer and the
capsule same as aqueous.
Questions?
1. How the eye and camera are same?
2. What do you understand by optical system?
3. Write down the component of optical system
Questions?
MCQs
1. Eye is an …… optical system.
A: Single B: Compound
C: Adaptive D: Both B and C
2. Iris in the eye act as …….. In the camera?
A: Shutter B: Dark chamber
C: Diaphragm D: None of the above
3. Lens in early stages is?
A: Transparent B: Opacified
C: Opaque D: None of the above
THANK YOU