Parts of the eye and their functions

Aqueous Humor

a clear fluid that helps the cornea keep its rounded shape

Blind Spot

The place where all nerves from the retina join to form the optic nerve. Each eye has a blind spot where there are no light sensitive cells

Cones

one kind of light sensitive cell in the retina. Cones give you color vision in bright light.

Cornea

a tough, clear covering over the iris and pupil that helps protect the eye. light bends as it passes through the cornea.

Iris

A muscle that controls how much light enters the eye. It is suspended between the cornea and the lens.

Lens

A clear, flexible structure that makes an image on the eye's retina. The lens is flexible so that it can change shape, focusing on objects that are close up and far away.

Myelin

The fatty layer that surrounds each nerve fiber.

Optic nerve

The bundle of nerve fibers that carry information from the retina to the brain.

Pupil

The pupil is the dark circle in the center of your iris. It's a hole that lets light into the inner eye.

Retina

The layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye. The retina detects images focused by the cornea and the lens and is connected to the brain by the optic nerve.

Rods

One kind of light-sensitive cell in the retina. Rods respond in dim light.

Sclera

protect the internal structures of the eye and maintain its shape

Tapetum

Found in animals with good night vision, the tapetum reflects light back through the retina.

Vitreous Humor

The thick, clear jelly that helps give the eyeball its shape.

Ciliary Body

produces aqueous humor, allows for changing the shape of the lens for far and near vision and helps hold the lens in place

Suspensory ligament

support and stabilize the position of the eyeball within the orbit

Optic disc

exit point for the optic nerve, entrance point for major blood vessels

Coroid layer

providing blood supply and nutrients to the retina and absorbing excess light to prevent reflections and scattering within the eye