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Vision (Photoreceptors)

I). Accessory structures of the eye

A). Eyebrows: Protect from sunlight and stop perspiration from entering the eye.

B). Eyelids:

bulletSweat and sebaceous glands (produce sandman=s sand)
bulletMuscles that open and close eye causing reflex blinking which protects and lubricates the eye.
bulletEyelashes with nerve endings trigger blinking if anything touch

C). Conjunctiva

bulletLines interior of the eyelid and folds over the eye.
Anatomy of the outer eye

D). Lacrimal apparatus

bulletContains the lacrimal gland or tear ducts drain into the nasal cavity.
bulletLacrimal puncta: red dots on margin of each eyelid.
Lacrimal anatomy of the eye

E). Extrinsic Eye Muscles

bulletEyeball is controlled by 6 strap-like muscles
Anatomy of the eye muscles

II). Eyeball

Internal anatomy of the anaterior of the eye

A). Humors: fluids that fill internal cavity

B). Lens: Transparent biconvex, focusing apparatus of the eye & divides anterior & posterior segments.

C). Outer tunic: 

1). Sclera: Fibrous white dense connective tissue seen as white of the eye.

2). Cornea: Transparent fibrous connective tissue that allows light to enter. (bulges anteriorly)

INternal anatomy of the posterior of the eye

D). Middle Tunic

1). Choroid:  dark supplies blood vessels and melanocytes that absorb light.

2). Ciliary body  tissue ring that surrounds the lens and controls the lens shape

3). Iris: Visible colored part; with pupil that allows the light to enter.

E).  Inner Tunic

1).  Retina (sensory area) Posterior interior layer extends to the cilliary body

Blind spot or optic disc where optic nerve passes through.

bulletganglion cells
bulletbipolar cells
bulletphotoreceptors.
optic disc

 

III). Photoreceptors

A). Rods:

Low light and peripheral vision receptors.
Black and white vision.

B). Cones

bulletOperate in bright light and provide color vision and visual acuity.

      Types of cones

Pigment B (blue)
Pigment G (green)
Pigment R (red)

Various combinations of cones are stimulated by in-between colors

IV). Focus

A). For far-sight (seeing things far away) the lens is relaxed  

(It is preset to farsightness is caused by lose of elasticity).

B). For near-sight (seeing things near to by) the lens is bent.

bulletcontraction of cilliary muscles
bulletconstriction of pupil
bulletconvergence of the eyeballs

V). Light and Vision and Perception

   A).  Properties of light

1). Light travels in waves and consists of small packets called photons.

2). Light reflects or bounces off of objects.

3). The objects absorb some wavelengths and reflects back others.

4). The color we perceive is the color that the object reflects.

B).  Real Image (upside down and backwards)

1). The reflected light enters the pupil and the lens at an angle

2). The real image is formed on the retina & it is upside down and reversed.

projection of the real image on the retina

C). Receptors

projection of light on the receptors

1). Photoreceptors hyperpolarize.

2). Bipolar neurons feed into ganglion cells.

3). The stimulus passes down the optic nerve.

layers of the retina layers of the retina

D).  Optic Chiasma

pathway of light to the occipital region
bullet At the optic chiasma the nerves cross right to left & left to right but also continue on right to right and left to left.
bulletSo both optic tracts carry information from both eyes.
bulletPartial crossing over means both tracts send a complete picture.

E).  Occipital Lobe

1). This signal reaches the thalamus.

(All cerebral cortex signals go through thalamus first)

2). Signals travels to the visual cortex in the occipital lobes.

3). Visual cortex sensory and association areas fuses the images resulting in depth perception or 3 dimensional vision so we perceive the entire field.

4).  Prefrontal Cortex makes a decision