The eyeball is a bilateral in spherical organ which houses the

structures responsible for Vision

It lies in a bony cavity within the facial skeleton known as the bony
orbit

Anatomically

The eyeball can be divided into three parts the fibrous

Vascular

Inner layers

These layers have different structures and functions

L et's start with the outermost layer the fibrous layer

The fibrous layer of the eye is the outermost layer

It consists of the sclera and cornea

Which is directly continuous with each other

You can see the shape and continuity of the cornea with the sclera
from this lateral view

Their main functions are to provide shape to the eye and support the
deeper structures

the sclera comprises the majority of the fibrous layer

Approximately 85%

And provides attachment to the extraocular muscles

The extraocular muscles are responsible for the movement of the eye

In addition several vessels and nerves penetrate through the sclera

Including the optic nerve which you can see here posteriorly

the sclera is visible as the white part of the eye

The cornea is continuous anteriorly with the sclera

And is transparent and positioned centrally at the front of the eye

L ight entering the eye is refracted by the cornea

The vascular layer of the eye lies underneath the fibrous layer

It consists of three continuous parts the choroid

The ciliary body and the iris

The choroid is a layer of connective tissue and blood vessels

It provides nourishment to the outer layers of the retina

The ciliary body itself is comprised of two parts the ciliary muscle and
ciliary processes

ciliary muscle consists of a collection of Smooth muscle fibres

arranged in three orientations

L ongitudinal circular and radial

When these muscles contract the diameter of the circular ciliary body
reduces in size

Projecting from the surface of the ciliary body are ciliary processes

These attach the lens to the ciliary Body by these fibres which you can
see here

K nown as zonular fibres

Collectively

The zonular fibres from the suspensory ligament of the lens

ciliary body therefore controls the shape of the lens

As I mentioned before

When the ciliary muscle contracts the circular ciliary body reduces in
size

When this happens the zonular fibres therefore slacken

Reducing the tension applied to the outside of the lens

Allowing the lens to return to a more rounded shape

This process is known as accommodation and adjust the lens for near
Vision

Conversely

When the ciliary body is relaxed the diameter of the ciliary body is
greater which means the zonular fibres

are held tight pulling the lens flat

This optimises the lens for long distance Vision

In addition to adjusting the lens shape the ciliary body also contribute
to the formation of aqueous humour

The final structure of the vascular layer is the iris

This is a circular structure with an aperture in the centre called the

pupil

The Iris is the component of the eye which gives you your eye colour

It has two arrangements of fibres which control the size of the pupil

Circular fibres and radial fibres

The circular fibers make up the sphincter pupillae muscle

Which is innervated by the parasympathetic nervous system

Activation of this system causes constriction of the pupil which

thereby limits the amount of light

The content of the eye

The radial fibres on the other hand make up the dilator pupillae muscle

Which are innervated by the sympathetic nervous system and cause

dilatation of the pupil
Thereby increasing the amount of light that can enter the eye

The inner layer of the eye consists of the retina

The light detecting part of the eye

The retina itself is comprised of two cellular layers

The neural layer and the pigmented layer

The neural layer consists of photoreceptors the light detecting cells of

the retina

It is located posteriorly and laterally in the eye

The pigmented layer lies underneath the neural layer and is attached
to the choroid layer

Acts to support the neural layer and continues around the hole iner
surface of the eye

Anteriorly the pigmented layer continues but the neural layer does ,
not

This part is known as the non visual retina

Posteriorly and laterally both layers of the retina are present

This is the optic part of the retina

The optic part of the retina can be viewed during ophthalmoscopy or

fundoscopy

The centre of the retina is marked by an area known as the macula

L utea

It is yellowish in colour and highly pigmented

The macula

Contains the depression called the fovea centralis

Which has a high concentration of cones which of the light sensitive
receptor cells which function

Best in brightly lit conditions

And I responsible for high acuity color vision

The area that the optic nerve enters the retina

Is known as the optic disc

It contains no light detecting cells and is therefore referred to as the

blind spot of the retina

The central retinal artery enters at this point and it's branches are
visible at this point when viewed

During fundoscopy

There are a few remaining structures to discuss to cover the basic

gross anatomy of the eyeball

There are two fluid filled areas in the eye

known as the anterior and posterior Chambers

The anterior chamber is located between the cornea and the iris

The posterior chamber is a small chamber located behind the Iris and
anterior to the lens and suspensory

ligaments

The two chambers are continuous with one another by the pupillary
opening

The chambers are filled with aqueous humour,

Which is a clear plasma like fluid that nourishes and protects the eye

The aqueous humour is secreted first into the posterior chamber and
flows into the anterior chamber

by the pupil and it's absorbed into the canal of schlemm

Also known as the scleral venous sinus ,

This channel in circles the eye lying at the point between the cornea
and the iris

If the drainage of aqueous humour is obstructed

The intraocular pressure will rise

A condition known as glaucoma,

The length separates these two Chambers from the vitreous chamber
which fills the eyeball with a transparent

Gel like substance known as vitreous humour or vitreous body

Extending for Behind the lens

To the retina posteriorly

Mohammed Nabeel