Anatomy & physiology

Visual system
Maria Larasati, Ophthalmologist

Monday, April 29, 13

Learning Objectives
By the end of this presentation you will be able to:
1. Recognize major components of the eye
2. Have a basic understanding of how the eye works
3. Understand how eye disease affects the components of the
eye

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EMBRYOLOGY OF THE EYE

This highly specialized sensory organ is derived from neural
ectoderm, mesoderm and surface ectoderm.
The eye is essentially an outgrowth from the brain (neural
ectoderm).
Started as Optic vesicle connected to the forebrain by Optic
stalk.

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EMBRYOLOGY (cont.)
Invagination of both the
optic vesicle to form Optic
cup and the optic stalk to
form Choroidal fissure
inferiorly.
Surface ectoderm
invaginate to form the lens
vesicle.
Mesodermal tissues invade
the developing eye to
share in vascular, muscular
and supportive tissues of
the eye.
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Monday, April 29, 13

DEVELOPMENT OF THE EYE

AFTER BIRTH
At birth, the eye is relatively large in relation to the rest of the
body.
The eye reaches full size by the age of 8 years.
The lens continues to enlarge throughout the life.
The iris has a bluish color due to little or no pigment on the
anterior surface.
During early infant life, the cornea & sclera can be stretched by
raised IOP enlargement of the eye.

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Monday, April 29, 13

Figure by Snell & Lemp

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Lacrimal Apparatus
Tear secretion.
Layers of precorneal tear film.
Drainage of tear.

Monday, April 29, 13

Lacrimal Apparatus
Tear secretion.
Layers of precorneal tear film.
Drainage of tear.

Monday, April 29, 13

Lacrimal Apparatus
Tear secretion.
Layers of precorneal tear film.
Drainage of tear.

Monday, April 29, 13

Lacrimal Apparatus
Tear secretion.
Layers of precorneal tear film.
Drainage of tear.

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Quiz #1

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Quiz #1

Cornea

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Quiz #1

Lens
Cornea

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Quiz #1

Iris

Lens
Cornea

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Quiz #1

Iris

Lens
Cornea

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Sclera

Quiz #1

Iris

Macula

Lens
Cornea

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Sclera

Quiz #1

Macula

Papil

Iris

Lens
Cornea

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Sclera

Quiz #1

Macula
Retinal Artery
Papil

Iris

Lens
Cornea

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Sclera

Quiz #1

Macula
Retinal Artery
Papil

Vortex Vein

Iris

Lens
Cornea

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Sclera

Pop Quiz #2
a
e

c
d
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Pop Quiz #2
a

a: Lens

c
d
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Pop Quiz #2
a

a: Lens

b: Ciliary Body (Pars plicata)

b

c
d
Monday, April 29, 13

Pop Quiz #2
a

a: Lens

b: Ciliary Body (Pars plicata)

c: Pars Plana of ciliary body

c
d
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Pop Quiz #2
a

a: Lens

b: Ciliary Body (Pars plicata)

c: Pars Plana of ciliary body
d: Retina

c
d
Monday, April 29, 13

Pop Quiz #2
a

a: Lens

b: Ciliary Body (Pars plicata)

c: Pars Plana of ciliary body
d: Retina

e: Zonule or suspensory ligament

c
d
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UVEA
uveal layer is shown in red
It consists of the iris, ciliary body and choroid
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Extrinsic Eye Musculature

For moving eye within its socket

6 muscles per eyeball
Innervated by 3 cranial nerves
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Eye Movements
Yaw
gaze shifts L/R
Pitch
gaze shifts up/down
Roll
eye rotates around line of
gaze (torsion)
In each position of gaze, one muscle of each eye is the primary
mover of that eye, and is yoked to the primary mover of the
other eye
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YAW

Eye Movements
Yaw
gaze shifts L/R
Pitch
gaze shifts up/down
Roll
eye rotates around line of
gaze (torsion)

In each position of gaze, one muscle of each eye is the primary

mover of that eye, and is yoked to the primary mover of the
other eye
Monday, April 29, 13

Eye Movements

YAW

Yaw
gaze shifts L/R
Pitch
gaze shifts up/down

PITCH

Roll
eye rotates around line of
gaze (torsion)

In each position of gaze, one muscle of each eye is the primary

mover of that eye, and is yoked to the primary mover of the
other eye
Monday, April 29, 13

Eye Movements

YAW

Yaw
gaze shifts L/R
Pitch
gaze shifts up/down

PITCH
ROLL

Roll
eye rotates around line of
gaze (torsion)

In each position of gaze, one muscle of each eye is the primary

mover of that eye, and is yoked to the primary mover of the
other eye
Monday, April 29, 13

Oculomotor Muscle Actions

Muscle

Action

Sup. rectus

elevates & abducts eyeball

Sup. oblique

depresses & abducts eyeball

Nerve Supply
upper division of
oculomotor n. (III)
trochlear n. (IV)

Med. rectus

adducts the eyeball

lower division of
oculomotor n. (III)

Lat. rectus

abducts the eyeball

abducens n. (VI)

Inf. rectus
Inf. oblique
levator
palpebrae
superioris
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depresses & abducts eyeball

lower division of
oculomotor n. (III)

elevates & abducts eyeball

lower division of
oculomotor n. III)

raises the eyelid

upper division of
oculomotor n. (III)

Intrinsic Eye Muscles and their response to light

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Neuronal function

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Looking at the Retina

Macula- 3 by 5 mm area at the posterior pole of the eye
Fovea- in center of macula : free of blood vessels, contains only
cone cells

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Anatomy of Rods and Cones

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Rods
120 million
Light sensitive
Found in peripheral
Cones
7 million
Color sensitive
Found mostly in fovea

Histology of the Retina

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Physiology of Rods and Photopigments

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Photomicroscopic view of the Histology of the Eye

S
Sclera
C
Choroid coat
PE
Pigmented epithelium
P
Outer segments of rods and cones
O
Nuclei of rods and cones
OPL
Outer synaptic layer
I
Nuclei of bipolar neurons
PL
Inner synaptic layer
G
Ganglion cell layer
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Photomicroscopic view of the Histology of the Eye

showing the location of the central fovea

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Visual Pathway
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Cones
Bipolar neurons
Ganglion cells axon forms the optic nerve
Optic nerve to the Optic Chiasm
Optic tract
Lateral geniculate nuclei of the thalamus
Optic Radiations
Primary visual areas of the occipital lobes

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Binocular vision

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Visual Pathway

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Optics of the Eye

The eye is like a camera
Light must have a clearly pathway to be clearly focused on the
sensory receptors of the retina, i.e., clear cornea, anterior
chamber, lens and vitreous cavity

The refractive power of the eye is about 58

dioptres

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Monday, April 29, 13

Optics of the Eye (cont.)

The cornea is the major refracting element of the eye
a power of approximately 40 dioptres
If the curvature is greater in one meridian than the other Astigmatism

The refractive power of the lens is about 17 dioptres at rest

Accommodation able to change the power of the lens markedly
depends on age

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Abnormalities of The Eye

1.

Myopic
nearsighted

2.

Hypermetropic
Farsighted

3.

Presbyopia
age-related failure of
lens to accommodate

4.

Astigmatism
Distorted vision due to
irregular-shaped lens or
cornea

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Monday, April 29, 13

Accommodation of the Lens

Near Vision

Far Vision

1. Ciliary muscles contract

1. Ciliary muscles relaxes

2. Ciliary body pulls forward

and inward

2. Ciliary body returns to its

resting state, backward
and outward

3. Tension on suspensory
ligaments of lens is
decreased
4. Lens becomes thicker
(rounder) due to its
elasticity
5. Pupils constricts
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3. Tension on suspensory
ligaments of lens is
increased
4. Lens becomes thinner
(flatter) due to its elasticity
5. Pupils dilate

Thank you

Monday, April 29, 13