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Human eye

life science Maturity 11-13 Next article →

The human eye is a complex sensory organ within the visual system. It functions as a living optical device that reacts to visible light to provide eyesight.

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

Beyond vision, the eye plays critical roles in maintaining the circadian rhythm, which is our internal biological clock. It also assists in maintaining bodily balance. The eyes are situated on the left and right sides of the face. They sit within bony cavities in the skull known as orbits.

MRI of human eye
MRI of human eye

The eye is not a perfect sphere but is a fused two-piece unit. It consists of an anterior segment in the front and a posterior segment in the back. The anterior segment includes the cornea, iris, and lens. The larger posterior segment contains the vitreous, retina, choroid, and the sclera. The sclera is the outermost white shell that helps keep the eye light-tight.

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

The eye is divided into three distinct coats or layers. The outermost layer is the fibrous tunic, made of the cornea and sclera. The middle layer is the vascular tunic, or uvea, which includes the choroid, ciliary body, and iris. The innermost layer is the retina, which receives oxygen from blood vessels in the choroid and the retina itself.

Light follows a specific path to create vision. First, light enters through the cornea, which is the transparent front part of the eye. The cornea accounts for most of the eye's optical power and does most of the initial focusing.

Arizona eye model
Arizona eye model

Next, light passes through the pupil, which is the dark aperture or opening. The iris, the colored part of the eye, acts as a diaphragm. It uses dilator and sphincter muscles to adjust the pupil size and control light intake.

Voluntary pupil dilation
Voluntary pupil dilation

After the pupil, light hits the crystalline lens to complete the focusing process. This adjustment of the lens shape for near focus is called accommodation. The ciliary muscle and suspensory ligaments, also called the zonule of Zinn, control this process. Finally, the light reaches the retina, where images are processed.

The retina contains specialized cells that convert light energy into electrical energy for the nervous system. There are three main types of cells involved in this conversion. Rods respond to low-intensity light and provide low-resolution, grayscale images. Cones respond to high-intensity light and allow for high-resolution, colored images.

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

Scientists also identified photosensitive ganglion cells. These cells respond to a full range of light intensities. They help adjust light levels, regulate the hormone melatonin, and entrain the circadian rhythm. Once the light is converted into electrical signals, the optic nerve transmits them to the brain for interpretation.

Eye movement is controlled by a precise muscular system. Each eye has seven extraocular muscles located in its orbit. Six of these are muscles that control eye movements: the lateral, medial, inferior, and superior recti, and the inferior and superior oblique muscles. The seventh muscle, the levator palpebrae superioris, controls the upper eyelid. When these muscles exert tension, they cause the eye to rotate almost purely around its center.

Stereogram Tut Eye Convergence
Stereogram Tut Eye Convergence

This movement is vital because the brain must compensate for head motion to keep images steady on the retina.

Human eyes exhibit remarkable physical properties and growth patterns. An adult eye has a height of approximately 24 mm, a width of 23.7 mm, and a depth of 24 mm. The volume of a typical adult eye is about 6.5 ml. The cornea is very thin, measuring about 0.5 mm at its center. The eyeball grows rapidly from a diameter of 3 mm at birth to 17 mm by age three. It reaches its full adult size by age 12. Interestingly, there are no significant differences in eye size between males and females, or between left and right eyes in adults.

The visual field of a human is also highly specific. An individual eye's field of view is typically 30° superior, 45° nasal, 70° inferior, and 100° temporal. When using both eyes, we have binocular vision. This provides a maximum horizontal field of 190°, with about 120° being the binocular field where both eyes see the same area. This overlap allows for stereovision, which helps us perceive depth and three-dimensionality. However, there is a small blind spot where the optic nerve exits the retina, located about 15° temporal and 1.5° below the horizontal.

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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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