Lectures 5 & 6 - The Eye Flashcards
What are 2 other names for the primary visual cortex?
Striate cortex, V1
What is vision?
Our perceptual experience of light: light is transduced by photoreceptor neurons and the signal is transmitted across many synapses in retina before reaching the optic nerve, which transmits signals to the brain
What are the 4 CNS structures for vision?
- Retina
- Thalamus
- Primary visual cortex
- Extrastriate cortex
What is another name for the extrastriate cortex?
Association cortex
Is visual system activity determined by absolute light levels?
NOPE, relative light levels
What is the dark current?
In the absence of light, photopigment proteins are inactive and therefore photoreceptors are depolarized and have current: cGMP opens cGMP gated cation channels (Na+ and Ca++ flow in)
What is the relative light level dependence of visual system activity due to?
Receptive field properties that begin in the retina
What are the 2 properties of light waves? What does each correspond to?
- Amplitude: brightness
2. Wavelength: color
What is the wavelength related to?
Inverse of frequency
What is the range of visible light?
400-700 nm
What is the visible light with the highest energy?
400 nm = blue light
What is the visible light with the lowest energy?
700 nm = red light
What are the 3 possible behaviors of light rays on different media?
- Reflection
- Absorption
- Refraction
When an object absorbs light, what light do we see?
The light that is NOT absorbed
What changes when light gets refracted?
Its velocity
What is velocity?
Direction + speed
If you have a red reflector strip on a bike, what behaviors of light are taking place when we look at it?
All 3:
- Reflection of red light by strip
- Absorption of some light by strip
- Refraction within the eye
What are the 3 tissue layers of the eye?
- Fibrous tunic
- Vascular tunic
- Retina
What are the 2 parts of the fibrous tunic of the eye? What does each constitute?
- Sclera (posterior 2/3rds)
2. Cornea (anterior 1/3rd)
What are the 3 parts of the vascular tunic of the eye?
- Iris
- Ciliary body
- Choroid
List the 6 layers of the retina from superficial to deep.
NEURAL: 1. Ganglion cell layer 2. Inner plexiform layer 3. Inner nuclear layer 4. Outer plexiform layer 5. Outer nuclear layer PIGMENTED 6. Pigmented epithelium layer
What is the sclera of the eye?
- Opaque connective tissue
- Posterior 5/6th of fibrous tunic
- Part of the eye commonly known as the “white”
What is the insertion point for the extraocular eye muscles?
Sclera
What is the cornea of the eye?
Transparent and convex anterior 1/3rd of the fibrous tunic
What is the iris of the eye?
Pigmented muscular curtain near the front of the eye, between the cornea and the lens, that is perforated by an opening called the pupil
What is the role of the ciliary body?
Secretes fluid into the eye
What is the choroid of the eye?
Posterior majority of vascular tunic made of vascularized connective tissue
What causes blood shot eyes?
Choroid becomes red
What branches off the ciliary body? Role?
Ciliary processes: secrete aqueous humor
What part of the eye is responsible for the pupillary light reflex?
Iris
What part of the eye is responsible for the accommodation reflex?
Ciliary body
How many intraocular muscles in the iris? What are they? What is each innervated by? What do they do?
- Sphincter (constrictor) muscle - Parasympathetic NS (CN III) -> constricts pupil
- Dilator muscle -Sympathetic NS -> dilates pupil
==> Control pupil size
What kind of muscles are the intraocular iris muscles?
Smooth muscles
What are the zonula fibers of the eye?
Fibers that suspend the lens in position during accommodation
Describe the process of accommodation to near vision.
Near source => parasympathetic bilateral afferents in CN II => synapse at lateral geniculate nuclei of thalamus => synapse at visual cortex => synapse at visual association cortex => synapse at Edinger-Westphal nuclei of the midbrain => parasympathetic preganglionic neurons (CN III) => synapse at ciliary ganglia => postganglionic neurons => intraocular contraction of ciliary muscles (both eyes) => relaxation of zonula fibers => relaxation of lens => increases refractive power
What are the 2 effects of the pupillary reflex test? Describe each.
- Direct: constriction of illuminated pupil
2. Consensual: constriction of contralateral pupil
What is a consensual response?
Any reflex observed on one side of the body when the other side has been stimulated
Describe the pathway of the pupillary light reflex.
Light => eyes => bilateral CN II parasympathetic afferents => synapse at both lobes of pretectal nucleus of midbrain => neurons from each PTN lobe to EW with crossing over from each PTN lobe => Edinger-Westphal nuclei of the midbrain => preganglionic parasympathetic neurons in the efferent axons in CN III going to both eyes => ciliary ganglia => postganglionic parasympathetic neurons => short fibers in ciliary nerve => sphincter muscles of iris
What is another name for the consensual effect?
Indirect effect
What causes constriction of the contralateral pupil during the pupillary reflex test?
Crossing over of neurons from the pretectal nuclei to the Edinger-Westphal nuclei of the midbrain
Describe the innervation pathway of the dilation of the pupil.
Bilateral input in low light => hypothalamus => neurons to cervical spinal cord => synapse with preganglionic sympathetic efferents in spinal nerve => inferior cervical ganglia => synapse in superior cervical ganglion => postganglionic sympathetic neurons => dilator muscles
What are the 3 important structures of the retina? Describe each.
- Optic disc: 2mm hole in posterior retina = highly vascularized exit/entry point of optic nerve
- Fovea: depression (1.5 mm diameter) of outer-most cellular neuronal layer of retina
- Macula: 6 mm in diameter
What constitutes the blind spot of the eye? What does it mean?
The optic disc of the retina
No photoreceptors in this spot
What is an ophthalmoscope?
Tool used to view the retina through the pupil
Why does the fovea have improved acuity?
- Because the depression allows for the light to directly reach the photoreceptors
- Because its RGCs have a smaller receptive field size
What part of the eye has the majority of the refractive power? What other part helps?
Cornea
The lens has additional and VARIABLE refractive power
What innervates refraction in the eye?
Parasympathetic reflexive control (accommodation)
What requires greater refraction?
Greater divergence of light rays
What does relaxation of the ciliary muscle mean for refraction?
Less refraction
What does contraction of the ciliary muscle mean for refraction?
Greater refraction
Near vision: ciliary muscle contracted or relaxed?
Contracted
Far vision: ciliary muscle contracted or relaxed?
Relaxed
What is the pathway of light through the eye? Use anatomical terms and reflection, refraction, and absorption
Light reflected from object => refraction in cornea => refraction in aqueous humor => pupil => refraction in lens => refraction in vitreous humor => absorption in retina by photoreceptors and signal transduction => bipolar cells => ganglion cells
Does a distant object require higher or lower refractive power? What does this mean for the shape of the lens?
Lower
Less convex
Does a near object require higher or lower refractive power? What does this mean for the shape of the lens?
Higher
More convex
What is myopia? Too much or too little refraction? What is it caused by?
Near sightedness
Too much refraction
Caused by steep curvature of the cornea
What is hyperopia? Too much or too little refraction? What is it caused by?
Far sightedness
Too little refraction
Caused by flattening of the cornea
What is astigmatism?
Uneven curvature of the cornea causing uneven refraction
What are corrective lenses or laser surgery a treatment for?
Near and far sightedness
What leads to common visual impairments?
Errors in refractive power of cornea
Is visual acuity homogenous across the retina?
NOPE
What is the purpose of the Snellen Eye Chart?
To test our ability to discriminate letters and numbers at 20 feet
What does the denominator correspond to in the Snellen Eye Chart?
Related to the size of the letters, which increases as you move up chart
What does the nominator correspond to in the Snellen Eye Chart?
Distance between the subject and the chart (always 20 ft)
Definition of visual acuity?
Ability to distinguish light from nearby points in visual field