Eye: Function of parts of the eye

It is the transparent, curved front of the eye which helps to converge the light rays which enter the eye

• Retina

• Cornea

• Sclera

• Pupil

It is a thin protective covering of epithelial cells. It protects the cornea against damage by friction. It can become infected causing conjuctivitis.

• Conjunctiva

• Sclera

• Cornea

• Lens

Is an opaque, fibrous, protective outer structure. It is soft connective tissue, and the spherical shape of the eye is maintained by the pressure of the liquid inside. It provides attachment surfaces for eye muscles

• Retina

• Conjunctiva

• Cornea

• Sclera

Has a network of blood vessels to supply nutrients to the cells and remove waste products. It is pigmented that makes the retina appear black, thus preventing reflection of light within the eyeball.

• Retina

• Choroid

• Sclera

• Fovea

Has suspensory ligaments that hold the lens in place. It secretes the aqueous humour, and contains ciliary muscles that enable the lens to change shape, during accommodation (focusing on near and distant objects)

• Ciliary body

• Iris

• Lens

• Retina

Is a pigmented muscular structure consisting of an inner ring of circular muscle and an outer layer of radial muscle. Its function is to help control the amount of light entering the eye so that:

- too much light does not enter the eye which would damage the retina

- enough light enters to allow a person to see

• Iris

• Pupil

• Lens

• Retina

Is a hole in the middle of the iris where light is allowed to continue its passage. In bright light it is constricted and in dim light it is dilated

• Cornea

• Iris

• Pupil

• Fovea

Is a transparent, flexible, curved structure. Its function is to focus incoming light rays onto the retina using its refractive properties

• Lens

• Cornea

• Fovea

• Ciliary body

Is a layer of sensory neurones, the key structures being photoreceptors (rod and cone cells) which respond to light. Contains relay neurones and sensory neurones that pass impulses along the optic nerve to the part of the brain that controls vision

• Fovea

• Choroid

• Retina

• Fovea

A part of the retina that is directly opposite the pupil and contains only cone cells (photoreceptors responsible for colour vision). It is responsible for good visual acuity (good resolution)

• Blind spot

• Fovea

• Choroid

• Vitreous humour