The Eye Flashcards
Describe the position of the anterior chamber of the eye?
directly posterior to the cornea and anterior to the iris
What is the name of the central opening of the iris?
The pupil
What structure allows the posterior and anterior chamber of the eye to be continuous?
Pupillary opening
What substance fills the posterior and anterior chambers of the eye?
Aqueous humour
Where is aqueous humour absorbed?
Scleral venous sinus also called the canal of schlemm
What is the function of aqueous humour?
Supplies the avascular cornea and lens
maintains intraocular pressure
What gelatinous substance fills the eye from the lens to the retina?
Vitreous humour
Describe the layered structure of the walls of the eyeball.
Outermost fibrous layer - sclera posteriorly and cornea anteriorly
middle vascular layer - choroid posteriorly and ciliary body and iris anteriorly
the innermost layer - optic part of retina posteriorly, non visual retina anteriorly
The cornea is transparent. t/f?
true
What is the name of the highly vascular, pigmented layer of the wall of the eyeball?
Choroid
Parasympathetic fibres from which nerve innervate the ciliary muscles?
Occulomotor (CN III)
What is the name of the fibres which form the suspensory ligament of the lens?
Zonular fibres
How does contraction of the ciliary body affect the lens of the eye?
Contraction of the ciliary muscle decreases the size of the ring formed by the ciliary body which reduces tension on the suspensory ligament of the lens and allows the lens to become more rounded to accommodate near vision
Parasympathetic fibres innervate which muscle in the iris to constrict the pupil?
Sphincter pupillae muscle
Sympathetic fibres innervate which muscle in the iris to dilate the pupil?
dilator pupillae muscle
What is the name of the point at which the optic nerve leaves the retina?
Optic disc
The optic disc is a blind spot of the retina. T/F?
True
What is the name of the thinnest area of the retina which is most visually sensitive?
Five centralis
Which vessels provide blood supply to the eye?
Short posterior ciliary arteries
Long posterior ciliary arteries
Anterior ciliary arteries
Retinal artery
Which artery of the eye enters the area of the retina at the optic disc?
Central retinal artery
The short posterior ciliary artery is a branch of which artery?
Ophthalmic artery
The vortices veins drain the eyeball and enter the superior and inferior ophthalmic veins. There is also an additional vein draining the eyeball called the…?
Central retinal vein
Photoreceptors in the eye are located next to the retinal pigment epithelium. T/F?
True
What type of photoreceptor exists within the fovea centralis?
Cone cells
Signals from a number of photoreceptors can converge onto a single bipolar cell. T/F?
True
An aldehyde of which vitamin (11-cis-retinal) alongside a protein called opsin make up rhodopsin which is the pigment contained within rod cells?
Vitamin A
Which type of photoreceptor have 11-cis-retinal conjugated to different photoreceptor proteins to make different type fo that photoreceptor cell sensitive to different wavelengths of light?
Cone cells
Which type of photoreceptor can function well even in dark conditions?
Rod cells
Photoreceptors are relatively depolarised at rest and become hyper polarised in response to an adequate stimulus. T/F?
True - this is what makes them unique
When a photon of light is captured by the visual pigment molecules in a photoreceptor 11-cis-retinal changes to 11-trans retinal and dissociates from opsin to which it is normally bound. This activates a G protein called…?
Transducin
How does the activation of a photoreceptor by light affect cGMP to cause hyper polarisation?
It decreases the levels of cGMP so that fewer sodium ion channels are open and hyper polarisation occurs
When photoreceptors are depolarised they release a neurotransmitter onto bipolar cells, this neurotransmitter release is decreased when light activates the photoreceptors to cause hyperpolarisation. What neurotransmitter is used?
Glutamate
In the absence of light, ganglion cells in the ON-pathway are not stimulated to fire an action potential. Explain how this happens
When there is no light, glutamate is released onto ON-bipolar cells, causing hyper polarisation of the bipolar cells which prevents the release of excitatory neurotransmitter onto associated ganglion cells.
In the absence of light, ganglion cells in the OFF-pathway are stimulated to fire an action potential. Explain how this happens
When there is no light, glutamate is released onto OFF-bipolar cells, causing depolarisation of the bipolar cells which results in the release of excitatory neurotransmitter onto associated ganglion cells
What is the name of the point at which partial decussation of the optic nerve occurs?
Optic chiasm