Ocular Anatomy & Optical Tools

Function: holds aqueous humor

Composition: aqueous humor (watery, gel-like substance)

Function: Helps maintain the eye's shape

Composition: water, amino acids, and sodium (98-99% water)

Function: supplies nutrients and regulates temperature

Composition: tissue and blood vessels 

Function: helps the eye to focus and produces the aqueous humor solution

Composition: smooth muscle fibers (a.k.a ciliary muscles)

Function: protects the eye from outside debris/harmful light and helps direct/focus the amount of light that enters into the eye

Composition: numerous layers of tissue

Function: responsible for providing sharp (well-defined) vision 

Composition: mostly cone cells

Function: supplies blood to the lens during early development (afterwards becomes filled with lymph)

Composition: collagen

Function: helps regulate the amount of light that can enter into the retina by controlling the pupil

Composition: two layers of smooth muscle (the amount of pigment present determines eye color)

Function: changes its shape to help focus, adjust, and clarify visual objects at varying distances for the retina

Composition: tissue with high protein concentration

Function: responsible for central vision

Composition: photoreceptor cells (i.e., rods & cones)

Function: transfers signals between photoreceptor cells and the optic nerve

Composition: combination of numerous tissues

Function: communicates visual signals to the brain

Composition: nerve fibers (axons of retinal ganglion cells)

Function: holds aqueous humor 

Composition: aqueous humor (watery, gel-like substance)

Function: regulates the amount of light that can enter into the retina by changing its size (controlled by the iris)

Composition: hole in the middle of the iris

Function: converting light energy into electrical energy

Composition: neural, glial, and photoreceptor cellular layers

Function: nourishes the retina

Composition: blood/nutrients

Function: helps maintain the eye's shape and prevent injuries

Composition: numerous layers of tissue (same as cornea) and gives the eye its white color

Function: holds the lens in place and connects it to the ciliary body

Composition: connective tissue

Function: varies based on its individual parts

Composition: comprised of the choroid, iris, and ciliary body

Function: helps maintain the eye's shape

Composition: water, glucose, and charged particles (98-99% water)

Function: sends electrical nerve impulses from eye to brain

Composition: retinal ganglion cells

Function: tear lubrication (eyelids) and debris protection (eyelashes/eyelids)

Composition: small hair follicles (eyelashes) and skin/soft tissue (eyelids)

Function: structural support/protection (orbit) and facilitates movement (extraocular muscles)

Composition: bony structure (orbit) and skeletal muscle (extraocular muscles)

Function: helps with night vision (rods) and helps with color and daytime vision (cones) 

Composition: cellular material for rods and cones

Function: helps with overall communication between the eye and the brain

Composition: axons and dendrites