visual system Flashcards
what is the lacrimal system responsible for
tears - basal, reflex and emotional (crying)
how are tears produced
produced by lacrimal gland
drain through two puncta, openings on medial lid margin
flow through superior and inferior canaliculi
gather in tear sac- exit through tear duct into nasal cavity
what is the lacrimal systems afferents
cranial nerve, V1 - Opthalmic trigeminal
what are the efferents in lacrimal system
parasympathetic
what are the neurotransmitters involved in lacrimal system
acetylcholine
what is the role of the tear film
mains smooth cornea
oxygen supply to cornea - normal cornea has no blood supply
removal of debris
bactericide
what are the 3 layers in tear film
superficial lipid layer - reduce tear film evaporation(produced by meibomian glands
aqueous water layer
mucinous layer - maintains surface wetting
what is conjunctiva
thin transparent tissue that covers outer surface of eye
- begins at outer edge of cornea, covers visible part of eye and lines inside of eyelids
- nourished by tiny blood vessels
what are the 3 layers/coats of eye
scalera - hard and opaque
choroid - pigmented and vascular
retina - neurosensory tissue
what is the scalera
aka ‘white of the eye’
tough, opaque tissue that serves as eyes protective outer coat
high water content
what is the cornea
transparent, dome shaped window covering front of eye
low water content
powerful refracting surface - providing 2/3 of eyes focusing power
what are the 5 layers of the cornea
- epithelium
- bowmans membrane
- stroma - regularity contributes towards transparency
- descemets membrane
- endothelium - pumps fluid out cornea and prevents corneal oedema
what is the uvea
vascular coat of eyeball and lies between sclera and retina
composed 3 parts: iris, ciliary body and choroid
- intimately connected and disease of one part also affects other portions though not necessarily to same degree
what is the choroid
lies between retina and scalera
composed layers of blood vessels that nourish back of eye
what is the iris
controls light levels inside eye similar to aperture on camera
round opening- pupil
embedded with tiny muscles that dilate and constrict
what is structure of the lens
outer acellular capsule
regular inner elongated cell fibres -
may lose transparency with age - cataract (clouding)
what is the function of the lens
transparency regular structure refractive power 1/3 of eye focusing power - higher refractive index than aqueous fluid and vitreous accommodation elasticity
what is the retina
very thin layer of tissue that lines inner part of eye
- responsible for capturing light rays that enter the eye
light impulses are sent to brain for processing via optic nerve
what is optic nerve
transmit electrical impulses from retina to brain
connects to back of eye near macula
visible portion is called optic disc
what is the macula
located roughly in centre of retina, temporal to optic nerve
small and highly sensitive part of retina responsible for detailed central vision
what is the fovea
centre of macula
macula allows us to appreciate detail and perform tasks that require central vision e.g reading
why is fovea most sensitive part of retina
has highest concentration of cones, but low conc of rods
- only fovea has conc of cones to perceive in detail
what is central vision
detail day vision and colour vision
reading, facial recognition
how is central vision assessed
by visual acuity assessment
loss of foveal vision = poor visual acuity