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Human eye

life science Maturity 11-13 Next article →

The human eye is a wonderful sensory organ.

3D Medical Animation Eye Structure
3D Medical Animation Eye Structure

It acts like a living optical device to help us see. Beyond just sight, it helps keep our bodies in balance. It also helps maintain our circadian rhythm, which is our internal clock. Our eyes sit inside bony cavities called orbits in the skull.

MRI of human eye
MRI of human eye

Having two eyes is very helpful for us. This allows for stereovision, which helps us see depth and distance.

Light travels through the eye in a specific way. First, light enters through the cornea, which is the clear front part. The cornea does most of the focusing for light from the outside. Next, light passes through the pupil, which is the dark opening. The iris is the colored part that acts like a diaphragm.

Voluntary pupil dilation
Voluntary pupil dilation

It uses muscles to change the size of the pupil. This controls how much light enters the eye. Then, light hits the crystalline lens to finish the focusing. Finally, the light lands on the retina at the back.

Schematic diagram of the human eye en
Schematic diagram of the human eye en

The retina is a very special light-sensitive layer. It contains three different types of cells to process light. Rods respond to low light and show grayscale images. Cones respond to bright light and show us colors and fine details.

Fundus photograph of normal right eye
Fundus photograph of normal right eye

Scientists also discovered photosensitive ganglion cells in the retina. These cells help regulate the hormone melatonin. They also help our bodies adjust to light levels. These cells turn light into electrical signals for the brain.

There are many interesting numbers regarding the human eye. An adult eye has a height of about 24 millimeters. Its width is about 23.7 millimeters and its depth is 24 millimeters.

Gray892
Gray892

The cornea is about 0.5 mm thick near its center. An adult eye has a volume of about 6.5 milliliters. The eyeball grows very fast during our early years. It grows from 3 mm at birth to 17 mm by age three. It finally reaches full size by age 12.

You can think of the eye like a camera. The pupil works just like an aperture in a camera. The iris works like the diaphragm that controls the opening.

Pupillary light reflex
Pupillary light reflex

The crystalline lens is similar to a camera lens. Just as a camera focuses, the ciliary muscle changes the lens shape. This process is called accommodation. Even the way we move our eyes is very organized. Six extraocular muscles control how our eyes turn and move.

Stereogram Tut Eye Convergence
Stereogram Tut Eye Convergence

This helps us keep our vision clear and steady.

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🖼️ Images & Media (17)
File:Arizona eye model.png
Arizona eye model.png
File:3D Medical Animation Eye Structure.jpg
3D Medical Animation Eye Structure.jpg
File:MRI of human eye.jpg
MRI of human eye.jpg
File:Schematic diagram of the human eye en.svg
Schematic diagram of the human eye en.svg
File:Gray892.png
Gray892.png
File:Mairead cropped.png
Mairead cropped.png
File:Pupillary light reflex.jpg
Pupillary light reflex.jpg
File:Voluntary pupil dilation.gif
Voluntary pupil dilation.gif
File:Fundus photograph of normal right eye.jpg
Fundus photograph of normal right eye.jpg
File:Stereogram Tut Eye Convergence.png
Stereogram Tut Eye Convergence.png
File:MyStrangeIris.JPG
MyStrangeIris.JPG
File:Ambereye.jpg
Ambereye.jpg

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