The Eye

The Eye
Eye Anatomy
Eye Anatomy Sclera: the tough, supporting outer wall of
the eye.
Eye Anatomy Cornea: the transparent outer layer at the
front of the eye. It refracts (bends) light into
the eye.
Eye Anatomy Iris: contains muscles which allow it to control
the diameter of the pupil and therefore how
much light enters the eye.
Eye Anatomy Lens: focuses light onto the
retina.
Eye Anatomy Retina: contains receptor cells sensitive to
light intensity and colour.
Eye Anatomy Ciliary muscles and suspensory
ligaments: control the shape of the
lens.
Eye Anatomy Optic nerve: carries impulses from the
receptors in the retina to the brain.
Very bright light can damage the retina but you have a reflex to protect it. In
bright light the pupil gets smaller to let in less light which avoids damage. In
dim light the pupil gets wider in order to let in more light to see better.
Recap: reflexes are automatic, they do not involve conscious thought.

When light receptors in the eye detect a very bright light, a reflex response
makes the pupil smaller. The circular muscles in the iris contract and the radial
muscles relax. This limits the amount of light which can enter the eye and
protects it from damage.
• circular muscles contracted • circular muscles relaxed
• radial muscles relaxed • radial muscles contracted

Another reflex in the eye is accommodation (focusing on near or distant
objects.) This is not the same as moving your eye to look at things, which you
can do consciously.
Out of Focus Focus
The eye focuses light on the retina by changing the shape of the lens. To
understand this, first we need a little bit of physics.
Light travels in a straight line until it hits something. If it hits something

transparent like the lens of the eye, it changes direction (refraction).
If the transparent thing light hits is curved (like a lens) then the light will bend in
a different direction depending on where it hits the lens.
Whether this refraction brings the lines together or scatters them further apart
depends on the shape of the lens.
Ok! Physics bit is done. Back to biology.
If the lens cannot focus light by exactly the right amount so that it focuses on the
retina, the person will be short- or long- sighted.
Long-sightedness is more common in older people because the eye’s lens loses
flexibility and cannot spring back to a round shape so easily. Long-sighted people
are less able to focus on near objects because their lenses do not refract light
enough.
Focal point is behind the retina.

What sort of lens would you use to correct long-sightedness, convex or
concave?
Glasses with a convex lens correct long sightedness (AKA hyperopia). The lens
refracts the rays of light so that they focus on the retina.
Short-sightedness (AKA myopia) is the opposite. The lens refracts light too
much and the focal point is in front of the retina. Short-sightedness is corrected
by concave lenses.
Focal point is in front of the retina.
The concave lens refracts the rays of light so

that they end up focussing on the retina.
What are the alternatives to glasses?
Alternatives to Glasses:
• Contact lenses
• Laser eye surgery
• Replacement lens surgery
Contact Lenses
• Contact lenses are thin lenses which sit on the surface of the eye. They are
shaped to bend the light so that the focal point ends up on the retina.
• They are lightweight, almost invisible and more convenient for activities such as
sports (but ask your optician’s advice if you are considering wearing the to go
swimming).
• Contact lenses come in hard and soft varieties. Soft are more comfortable but
carry a higher risk of infection.
Laser Eye Surgery
Laser eye surgery uses a laser to

vaporise tissue, changing the
shape of the cornea (so altering
how it refracts light into the eye).
Slimming the cornea to make it less powerful corrects short-sightedness. Changing

the shape to make it more powerful improves long-sightedness.
However, there are risks such as infection or the eye reacting in a way which
makes vision worse than before.
Replacement Lens Surgery
Long-sightedness can be caused

by loss of flexibility in the lens.
Sometimes replacing the lens can
be more effective than altering the
shape of the cornea.
The lens is replaced with an artificial one made from clear plastic. As this involves
going inside the eye, it is riskier than laser eye surgery. Around 1 in 500 patients
suffer significant loss of vision after this procedure*.
*https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/laser-eye-surgery/ accessed 01/08/2020

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The Eye

Recap: reflexes are automatic, they do not involve conscious thought.

• circular muscles contracted • circular muscles relaxed

• radial muscles relaxed • radial muscles contracted

Light travels in a straight line until it hits something. If it hits something

Focal point is behind the retina.

Focal point is in front of the retina.

The concave lens refracts the rays of light so

Laser eye surgery uses a laser to

Slimming the cornea to make it less powerful corrects short-sightedness. Changing

Long-sightedness can be caused

*https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/laser-eye-surgery/ accessed 01/08/2020

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