The Eye

What are the eyes?
Your eyes are organs that allow you to see. They take in light from the world around you and send visual information to your brain. Your eyes
can see about 200 degrees in all directions, including in front of you and to the sides (peripheral vision). Parts of your eyes work together to
allow you to see images, movement and depth. Your eyes can see millions of colors in varying shades.
Approximately 80 percent of everything we learn comes through our eyes — the question is, how?
The eye contains over two million working parts and is considered the second most complex organ in the body— the most complex
is the brain.
The inner structures of the eye all work together to produce an image that your brain can understand.
In order to produce a clear image, the eyes must complete a five-step process:
Step 1: Light enters the eye through the cornea
When we look at an object, the light that is reflected off of the object enters the eye through the clear front layer of the eye, called
the cornea. The cornea bends the light before it passes through a watery substance that fills the area behind the cornea, called
the aqueous humor.
Step 2: The pupil adjusts in response to the light

The light continues to travel through the black opening in the center of the iris, called the pupil. The iris is the colorful part of your
eye that gives it its blue, green, hazel, brown or dark appearance.
The pupil then automatically gets bigger or smaller, depending on the intensity of the light.
How does the pupil expand and contract?
The iris is actually made up of muscles that expand and contract to control the pupil and adjust its size. So when you see your pupil
getting bigger or smaller, it is really the iris that is controlling the pupil opening in response to the intensity of light entering the eye.
Step 3: The lens focuses the light onto the retina

The light passes through the pupil to the lens behind it. The lens adjusts its shape to bend and focus the light a second time, to
ensure that you have a clear image of what you are looking at.
At this point, the light has been bent twice— as it moved from the cornea through the lens, and then from the lens to the retina.
This “double bending” has actually flipped the image upside down.
Accommodation
Accommodation refers to the ability of the eye to adjust its focus on objects at different distances. This adjustment is achieved by
changing the shape of the lens within the eye, allowing it to focus light rays onto the retina, which enables clear vision.
Step 4: The light is focused onto the retina
The light then passes from the lens to the back of the eye which is filled with a clear, gelatinous substance called the vitreous until it
reaches the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.
The light is then focused throughout the retina which contains nerves called photoreceptors. The photoreceptors are made up of
rods and cones, and are responsible for transforming the light rays into electrical impulses. While the light is focused throughout the
retina, most of the light entering the eye is focused onto the focal point on the retina, known as the macula.
Step 5: The optic nerve transmits visual information to the brain

The nerves of the retina collect all of the electrical impulses, which then travel through the optic nerve at the very back of the eye up
to the occipital lobe in the back of the brain.
At this point, the light then passes from the lens to the back of the eye which is filled with a clear, gelatinous substance called
the vitreous until it reaches the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.
The eye-brain connection
Vision is dependent on the connections between the eyes and the brain.
The light that enters the eye is required to go through a specific process in order to focus properly on the retina.
If the connections between the eye and brain are not well developed, the visual information that is sent to the brain will not be
interpreted properly, and the image will be difficult to see.
Parts of the eye
Cornea: The clear dome-like structure that covers the front of the eye and is responsible for bending light as it enters the eye.
Pupil: The dark opening in the center of the eye that opens and closes in response to light intensity.
Iris: The colored part of the eye that is made up of muscles that control the pupil— contracting the pupil in bright light and
expanding the pupil in low light.
Sclera: The white part of the eye that surrounds the iris. This structure is made up of fibrous tissue that protects the inner
structures of the eye.
Lens: Located behind the pupil, this transparent structure focuses light onto the retina.
Ciliary body: Located behind the iris, this structure contains a muscle that helps to focus the lens.
Vitreous humor: The clear jelly-like substance that fills the central cavity of the eye.
Retina: The light-sensitive membrane that lines the back of the eye; responsible for transforming light signals into electrical
impulses to be sent through the optic nerve to the brain.
Rods and Cones: Photoreceptors located in the retina, responsible for processing light signals. Rods allow you to see shapes,
while cones allow you to see colors.
Macula: The center of the retina responsible for central vision, and vision for fine details.
Optic nerve: A bundle of nerve fibers that contains more than one million nerve cells. Located in the back of the eye, this
nerve is responsible for carrying visual information from the retina to the brain.
What conditions affect how the eyes work?
Many conditions can affect how your eyes work, including common vision problems like myopia (nearsightedness), astigmatism and
eye injuries. Several diseases and disorders that are not necessarily eye-related can cause problems in the eyes, including
autoimmune disorders, diabetes and high blood pressure.
To keep your eyes healthy, you should see your provider for regular eye exams. Eat a balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight and
avoid smoking, which can damage your eyes. Always wear protective eyewear to prevent injuries, especially during contact sports or
if you have a job working with tools that could potentially lead to eye injuries (welding, metalwork, woodworking, etc).
Conditions that affect the eyes include:

Age-related changes in vision: Your eyes change as you age. Many people get floaters and flashers. In some cases, cataracts,
macular degeneration or a detached retina can occur as you get older. Presbyopia (losing near-focus vision) usually starts to affect
people around age 45.
Cancer: Growth of a tumor within the eye.
Disease: Many types of eye disease can affect the eyes, including congenital (present at birth) cataracts, glaucoma and optic
atrophy. Corneal disease includes many diseases that affect the cornea. Optic neuritis causes inflammation in the optic nerve.
Infection and irritation: Pink eye (conjunctivitis), blepharitis, chalazion and dry eyes cause redness, swelling and discomfort. Watery
eyes can result when the eye doesn’t drain tears properly or the eyes are irritated or dry.
Inherited disorders: Retinitis pigmentosa is an inherited condition (passed down through families) that can lead to blindness.
Injuries: Corneal abrasions and a detached retina can result from trauma to the eye. Accidents can cause eye bleeding, a black eye,
burns and irritation. Foreign objects can also damage the eye.
Problems with the muscles in the eyes: Strabismus (crossed eyes) or amblyopia (lazy eye) can cause changes in how the eyes
appear. They can also lead to vision changes.
Vision problems: Astigmatism and hyperopia (farsightedness) affect how the eye refracts (bends) light and brings images into focus.
Color blindness makes it difficult or impossible to see different colors. Conversion insufficiency affects the eyes’ ability to work
together. Some people have problems seeing at night.
What are some common signs or symptoms of eye conditions?

Signs of eye problems include:
Eye pain, redness, swelling, bleeding or discharge.
Eyes that cross or point in different directions.
Eyes that sting, itch, burn or are very dry.
Flashes of light, especially in your peripheral (side) vision.
Headaches and squinting.
Inability to move your eyes or open or close your eyelid.
Many spots or one dark spot in the middle of your field of vision.
Sensitivity to light or trouble seeing in low light.
Vision changes, including cloudy or blurry vision and double vision.
What are some common treatments for conditions that affect the eyes?
Treatments for eye problems vary widely. They include:
Corrective lenses: Glasses or contact lenses help you see clearly. Your provider may also recommend vision correction surgery.
People with presbyopia can use special reading glasses to help with up-close vision.
Eyedrops or an eye patch: If you have an eye injury, your provider may recommend flushing out your eye with water. You may also
need eye drops or an eye patch so your eye can heal.
Medications: Your provider may recommend antibiotics to treat infection. You may need other drugs to manage a health condition
that’s causing eye problems.
Surgery: Depending on your symptoms, you may need cataract surgery or a procedure to reattach a retina. Providers also perform
surgery to correct crossed eyes, remove tumors or transplant a cornea.
How can I keep my eyes healthy?

To keep your eyes healthy, you should:
Get regular eye exams so your provider can monitor your health and detect eye problems early.
Maintain a healthy weight, eat a balanced diet and quit smoking if you smoke.
Wear protective glasses during contact sports, when working with chemicals or when doing activities that might damage your eyes,
such as using fireworks.

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The Eye

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What are the eyes?

Step 2: The pupil adjusts in response to the light

Step 3: The lens focuses the light onto the retina

Step 5: The optic nerve transmits visual information to the brain

Conditions that affect the eyes include:

What are some common signs or symptoms of eye conditions?

How can I keep my eyes healthy?

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