Anatomy Flashcards
What are the retina and the optic nerve outgrowths of?
The brain
What are the 3 coats of the eye?
- Outer fibrous layer
- Middle vascular layer (uveal tract)
- Inner nervous layer (retina)
What are the 3 parts of the outer fibrous layer of the eye?
- Cornea
- Sclera
- Lamina cribrosa
What are the 3 parts of the middle vascular layer of the eye (uveal tract)?
- Iris
- Ciliary body - consisting of the pars plicata and pars plana
- Choroid
What are the 3 layers of the inner nervous layer of the eye?
- Pigment epithelium of the retina
- Retinal photoreceptors
- Retinal neurones
What are the 3 compartments of the eye?
- Anterior chamber
- Posterior chamber
- Vitrous chamber
What are the boundaries of the anterior chamber?
The space between the cornea and the iris
What are the boundaries of the posterior chamber (3)?
The triangular space (on either side of the pupil, when viewed in cross-section) between the iris anteriorly
The lens and zonule posteriorly
The ciliary body laterally
What are the boundaries of the vitrous chamber?
The space behind the lens and zonule
What are the 3 intraocular fluids?
- Aqueous humour
- Vitrous humour
- Blood
What is aqueous humour?
A watery, optically clear solution of water and electrolytes similar to tissue fluids
What is vitreous humour?
A transparent gel
What is the role of blood in the eye in addition to its usual functions?
Contributes to the maintenance of intraocular pressure
What layer of the eye contains most of the blood?
Choroid
What are the 2 functions of the choroidal vasculature?
- Retinal nutrition
2. Heat-exchanger for the retina
What is the function of the retina?
It absorbs light energy as light strikes the retinal pigment epithelium and converts it to nerve impulses
How is the eye clinically separated into 2 compartments?
- Anterior segment - all structures from (and including) the lens forward
- Posterior segment - all structures posterior to the lens
Where is the cornea?
Forms the anterior 1/6th of the outer coat of the eye
What forms the 5/6ths outer coat of the eye?
Sclera and lamina cribrosa
What are the 5 layers of the cornea from anterior to posterior?
- Epithelium and its basement membrane
- Bowman’s layer
- Stroma
- Descemet’s membrane
- Endothelium
What type of cells is the epithelium of the cornea made of?
Stratified squamous type of epithelium with 5-6 cell layers of regular arrangement
What is the Bowman’s layer made of?
Homogenous sheet of modified stroma
Which part of the cornea makes up 90% of the total corneal thickness?
Stroma
What does the stroma of the cornea consist of (3)?
- Lamellae of collagen
- Cells
- Ground substance
What is the Descemet’s membrane?
The basement membrane of the endothelium
What is the location of the iris?
It is the anterior-most part of the uvea
Where is the sensory innervation of the eyelids?
- Upper
- Lower
- Upper - ophthalmic division of the trigeminal (V) nerve
2. Lower - maxillary division of the trigeminal (V) nerve
What nerve innervates the orbicularis oculi?
Facial (VIIth) nerve
What happens to the lower eyelid with a facial nerve palsy?
What does it not cause?
Ectropion
Not ptosis
What innervates the levator palpebral muscle in the upper eyelid?
Oculomotor (III) nerve
What are the 2 major arteries that give off branches that supply the eye?
Where do the branches travel?
- External carotid artery via the face
2. Internal carotid artery via the orbit
What are properties of the sclera (5)?
- Collagenous
- Avascular (apart from some vessels on its surface)
- Relatively acellular
- Tough but thin
- Gives attachment to the extraocular muscles
What are properties of the cornea (3)?
- Sensitive to touch
- Avascular
- Transparent
What are the 2 functions of the cornea?
- Protection of invasion of microorganisms into the eye
2. Transmission and focusing (refraction) of the light
Where does the cornea derive its nutrition from (3)?
- Diffusion from blood vessels at the limbus
- From aqueous humour
- From the tear film
Where is the lacrimal gland?
What is its function?
What is its innervation?
Superotemporal part of anterior orbit
Secretes most of the aqueous component of the tear film
Innervated by parasympathetic fibres carried by the facial nerve
What is the function of blinking?
Spread of tears across the ocular surfaces
Where do tears drain?
Superior and inferior puncta at the nasal end of the eyelids