Anatomy of the

EYE
By
Prof. Ahmed Kassab
Sensory organ contains receptor cells
(eye, ear, skin, nose, tongue)

Receptors cells are kind of cells which

detect stimuli

• rods and cone in retina.

• hair cells in the cochlea.
• nerve endings in the
dermis.
• cells in the nasal
passages.
 Anatomy of Eye
Eyes like a camera
Retina like film

Photoreceptors: Converts light

energy into neural activity to brain to
interpret image
 The structure of eye
Eye ball (Oculus = Ocularis) Accessory ocular
Fibrous layer structures
(Outer)
1.Cornea.  Periorbital fascia.
2.Sclera.  Ocular muscles.
Vascular layer  Eyelids.
(Middle)  Conjunctiva.
1.Choroid.  Lacrimal apparatus.
2.Ciliary body.
3.Iris
Nervous layer
(Inner)
1.Retina. 2.Optic
 Fibrous Layer
Cornea Sclera
1/5 4/5
 Fibrous Layer
Cornea Sclera
1/5 4/5
 Transparent tissue covering the front of  Covering all eyeball
the eye. except the cornea.
 It is the major refractive power of the  It maintains shape of the
eye (helps focus light). eye.
 It is a protective covering for the  Protect the inner
front of the eye. structure of eye.
 The cornea is avascular (no blood  Inserted to it the ocular
vessels) and gets its nutrition from muscles.
tears on the outside, aqueous fluid on
the inside and from blood vessels
located peripherally at corneoscleral
junction (limbus).
 Vascular Layer
Choroid Iris
Ciliary Body

 Supply eye ball.

 Control shape of lens.

 Control the size of pupil.

 Vascular Layer
Choroid Iris
Ciliary Body
 Supplier of  Muscular diaphragm
 Responsible for controls
nutrient and of eye: the colored
the shape of the lens
blood to the eye. part of the eye.
(accommodation) to
 Control the amount
allowing focusing
of light passed
images of objects at
through pupil.
different distance.
 Increase the depth of
 It secretes aqueous
focus by the
fluid that provide
constriction of pupil.
nutrients to cornea and
lens.
 Choroid
 Dark brown membrane(Thin pigmented layer) containing blood vessels, between
the sclera and retina.
 It contains high number of melanocytes, so the choroid acts as a light-absorbing
layer (black layer) ,
 It Prevent light rays from scattered and distorting the image.
Tapetum lucidium
 Choroid
Tapetum lucidium:
 (eye shine) light reflective area of choroid lies above the optic papilla.
 a vascular fibrous layer containing crystalline rods that cause light to be
fractioned into yellowish or bluish green iridescence.
 It responsible for good vision in dim light (dark time)
 It amplify the amount of light that reaches the retina.
 Many nocturnal eyes as in cat , bat, snake ,
lizard, and shark are equipped with a
feature designed as mirror like membrane in
the back of eye( tapetum).
 The presence of the tapetum can be observed
at night when a pair of glowing eyes reflects
back a flashlight.
 Tapetum absent in man and pig
 Ciliary Body
Connects the choroid with the iris

Ciliary muscle is ring shaped muscle that attached to iris at limbus and it controls the shape
of the lens (accommodation) to allowing focusing images of objects at different distance
Ciliary process:
 Projection from inner surface of ciliary body, Connect
to choroid by ciliary ring.
 Connect to lens by is the zonule fibers (suspensory
ligament)
 Produces the aqueous fluid.
Ciliary ring is attached to the choroid and is
composed of the pars plana.
N.B: Ciliary crown = Ciliary process + Ciliary
 Iris
Muscular diaphragm of eye
 The colored part of the eye, unique to every individual like a fingerprint.
 Color depend on amount of pigment.
 Circular band of muscle around pupil anterior to the lens that regulate size
of pupil by two muscle.

Pupil = hole in the center (opening) of the eye where light passes through it.
M. Sphincter M. dilator
pupillae ( constrictor pupillae ( dilator
circular m.) radial m.)
•in bright light • in dark place
•Parasympathetic stimulation • Sympathetic stimulation
•Constriction of pupil (decrease size) • Pupil dilated (increase size)

N.B. Atropine used to open the pupil by paralysis of parasympathatic

Accommodation of the lens by the action of ciliary muscle
 Accommodation of the lens by the action of ciliary muscle
 The eye lens changes its focal length by changing its shape.
 Zonule fibers (suspensory ligament) attach the lens to the ciliary body.
 Zonule fibers hold lens in its position, allow shape of lens to change due to action of
ciliary muscle.

Distant vision Near vision

• Ciliary muscles relax, •Ciliary muscles contract,
• Cilary process stretch • Ciliary process relax,
•Ligaments stretch, •Ligaments relax,
•Lens less bulge & more flat •Lens more bulge, more convex
•Thinner bending power, longer focal length • shorter focal length .
 Nervous Layer
Retina Optic Papilla
 The Retina
The inner layer of sensory tissue on the eye that contains million nerve cells responsive to
light (photoreceptors) that capture light rays and convert it into neural impulse this pass
along the optic nerve to the brain where they interpreted as images (functioning image).

Photoreceptors:
Cells that convert light energy into
neural activity.

N.B: Retinal detachments can separate

the retina from the nutritious choroid,
as they quickly die.
 Photoreceptors of the retina
dendrite of nerve cell are cone or rod
Cone Rod
Color sensors Light intensity detector

 It provide color vision (day vision), fine  It responsible for( night

detail of image, ( sharpeness of vision) vision),
 it has three types of photopigments: motion and peripheral vision.
 Green (chlorolabe)
 Blue (cyanolable)
 Red (erythrolabe)

It is the rods that become highly specialized in nocturnal animals.

In fact,many bats, nocturnal snakes and lizards have no cones at all,
 Optic papilla
Optic papilla (Blind spot ):
 small oval area of the retina where the optic
nerve leaves the eye located at the caudoventral
portion of the eye ball.
 Photoreceptor are absent so any image falling
here will not be seen.
 It gate for entering blood vessels (The central
retinal artery and vein pass through optic nerve)
 Optic nerve:
bundle of over one million axons from
ganglion layer cells that carry visual signals
from the eye to the brain.
 Message is carried down the optic nerve
through pathways to occipital cortex; here
vision becomes sight.
 The Visual Field: Amount of space viewed by the retina when the eye is
fixed straight ahead.

• In the optic chiasma, most of the median fibers of

both nerves cross each other while peripheral fiber
continues on their side without cross.
• All these fibers forms optic tract to terminate in
lateral geniculate body in brain.

Optic chiasma absent in fish so fish cannot move in the

straight manner
 Refracti ve Structure of
eye
These structures bend the light so that a clear image is produced.

Cornea

Aqueous humor

Lens

Vitreous humor
 Lens
 Biconvex transparent body, has lens capsule. That
bends light passing through the eye to focus light.
 It consists of outer softer, central dense
substance.
The lens lies behind the iris and doesn’t have any
innervation or vascularization.
 It gets its nourishment entirely from nutrients
floating in the aqueous fluid.
 Its shape affected by suspensory ligaments called
zonules that connect to the muscular ciliary body.
 Chambers of the eye
1. Anterior chamber lies between the cornea and the iris.
2. Posterior chamber lies between the iris and the lens.
These chambers contain Aqueous humor (98% water,
2% sod.chloride + glucose + protein) derived from the
ciliary processes communicated to scleral venous
plexus through Schlemm canal.
3. Vitreous chamber extends from the lens back to the
retina. filled with vitreous body (gelatinous mass +
water). It maintain eye ball, hold the retina in place.
 Aqueous humor is continuously produced by ciliary body in the posterior
chamber, flowing forward through the pupil into the anterior chamber, where it
drains back into the venous circulation via the Canal of Schlemm.

The lens, the aqueous humor and the vitreous humor all play a role in focusing
light into the retina.

 Astigmatism result from uneven cornea ( error in refraction of light rays).

 Cataract: opacity of the lens.
 Glaucoma: increase of the intraocular pressure due to increase of aqueous humor
production or blockage in its drainage.
 Presbyopia: with age the ability of lens to accommodate to close vision decreased
due to loss of moisture and elasticity.
Accessory Structures of the eye

1. Periorbital fascia.
2. Ocular muscles.
3. Eyelids.
4. Conjunctiva.
5. Lacrimal apparatus.
 1- Periorbital fascia
Conical fibrous membrane which enclosed the eyeball with its muscle,
vessels, nerves.

The orbital Apex: is attached around optic foramen which is the entry

point for all the nerves and vessels supplying the orbit.

The orbital base: is attached to rim of the orbit.

The superior orbital fissure lies between the wings of the sphenoid

bones, through which many vessels and nerves pass into the orbit.
 2- Muscles of eye

Extrinsic Intrinsic

 Pupil sphincter.
Eye ball Eyelid  Pupil dilator.
Ocular = bullbar 1.Corrugator supercili.  Ciliary muscle.
1.Dorsal rectus. 2.Malaris.
2.Ventral 3.Orbiculari
rectus. 3.Lateral s oculi. 4.Levator
rectus. 4.Medial palpebral
rectus. 5.Superior superoris.
oblique.
6.Inferior So4 LR6 rest 3
oblique.
 3- Eyelids & eye lashes

 Superior & inferior movable cutaneous folds. which unite

at medial and lateral canthus. It is supported by a tarsal
plate. Which it is fibrous layer that gives the eyelids
shape, strength, and a place for muscles to attach.
 The interval between the two lids are termed the
palpebral fissure.
 The edges of the eyelids contain orifices of tarsal
glands.
 These glands secrete oil into the tear film , When become
inflamed and swell that secrete (palpeberal sebum).
• Lacrimal caruncle: rounded pigmented prominence at the
medial canthus.
• Lacrimal punctum: two slit like openings at the medial
canthus form the entrance of
lacrimal duct.
• The third eye lid (palpebral teria):
 plate cartilage at the medial canthus of eye covered by
semilunar fold of conjunctiva (Nictitating membrane)
and partially embedded in the retroocular fat.
 Retraction of eye ball causing third eyelid move to
protect eyeball.
 It is a remnant of the complete third eyelid of the birds.
 No muscles attached to the third eyelid
 4-
Conjuncti va
 The conjunctiva is a mucus transparent
membrane that covers the front of the
eyeball.
 The conjunctiva starts at the edge of the
cornea (this location is called the limbus) to
cover the eye ball as Bulbar conjunctiva.
 It then flows back behind the eye, loops forward,
and forms the inside surface of the eyelids
(palpebral conjunctiva) to form space between
eyeball and eyelid (conjunctival sac).
 Important in examination of animal
 5- Lacrimal Apparatus

1. Lacrimal gland and excretory ductules.

2. Lacrimal punctum.
3. Lacrimal canal.
4. Lacrimal sac.
5. Nasolacrimal duct (25-30 Cm).
a) Osseous part.
b) Cartilagenous part.
c) Membranous part.
it opens on the floor of the nasal cavity (ventral nasal commissure).
Thank You