Structure & Function of The Eye Flashcards
Anatomy of the Eye?
ONENOTE!!
Lacrimal System?
Contains structures for tear production & drainage
3 types of tear production?
- Basal tears
- Reflex tears - in response to irritation
o afferent CN V1
o efferent PNS - Crying tears
Explain how the Lacrimal System works
- Tears produced in LACRIMAL GLANDS
- Drain through TWO PUNCTA
o through superior & inferior Canaliculi - Collect in tear sac
- Drain through tear sac –> nose
Properties of the Tear Film?
ONENOTE!
o Maintains smooth corneal-air surface
o Facilitates O2 supply to cornea
o Removes debris
o Bactericide
Composition of the Tear Film?
o Superficial oily layer
- reduce tear film evaporation
- produced by Meibomian glands
o Aqueous layer
- produced by tear gland
o Mucin layer
- maintains wet corneal surface
Conjunctiva?
Thin transparent tissue that covers the outside surface of the eye
Properties of the conjunctiva?
Begins at the outer edge of the cornea
- covers the visible surface of the eye
- also lines the eyelids
Nourished by near-invisible blood vessels
Muscles that move the eye and layers of the eye ball?
6 extraocular muscles!
Layers of the eye ball:
- Retina (inside)
- Choroid (middle)
- Sclera (outside)
Retina?
Thin layer of photo-sensitive tissue that captures light rays
Choroid?
Component of the uvea (iris, ciliary body & choroid)
Composes of layers of blood vessels
Sclera?
Tough, opaque WHITE tissue - covers outside of eye
CONTINUOUS with the cornea!
HIGH water content
Cornea?
LOW water content!
o continous w. scleral layer
o transparent
o provides 2/3 of the eye’s focussing power
o higher refractive index than air, convex
o physical barrier e.g. infection barrier
Layers of the cornea?
5 LAYERS!
- Epithelium
- Bowman’s membrane (basal membrane of epithelium)
- Stroma (thickest layer, contains nerve endings)
- NO blood vessels in normal cornea - Descernet’s membrane (basal membrane of endothelium)
- Edothelium
- pumps fluid OUT of cornea, prevents corneal oedema
- only ONE cell thick
- NO capacity to regenerate
- cell density decreases w. age SO can result in corenal oedema & cloudiness
Uvea?
The VASCULAR coat of the eye ball
- lies between the sclera & retina
Composed of 3 parts
o iris
o ciliary body
o choroid
What does the close connections of the uvea structures often mean?
Means disease of ONE often affects the other two as well!
Len Zonules?
Fibrous ring!
Suspends the lens and consists of passive connective tissue
e.g. ciliary muscle contract, PUSHES towars zonules which are more FREE so lens constrict!
Iris?
Coloured part of the eye - controls light levels inside the eye
Round opening in centre = pupil
Embedded w. tiny muscles that
o dilate & constrict the pupil size