Chapter 15 Main points

Vocabulary flashcards based on key concepts from Chapter 15: The Eye and Vision, covering anatomy, physiology, and sensory processing related to vision and olfaction.

Bony Orbits

The protective bony structures that enclose the eyes.

Eyebrows

Facial features that help shade and protect the eyes.

Eyelids

Structure that protects and lubricates the eyes through reflex blinking.

Orbicularis Oculi

Muscle within the eyelids that helps close the eye.

Levator Palpebrae Superioris

Muscle that elevates the upper eyelid.

Conjunctiva

A mucous membrane lining the eyelids and covering the anterior eyeball surface, except the cornea.

Lacrimal Apparatus

Components that produce and drain tears, including the lacrimal gland, canaliculi, sac, and duct.

Extrinsic Eye Muscles

Muscles, including rectus and oblique muscles, that control eyeball movement.

Sclera

The outermost layer of the eye that provides protection and shape.

Cornea

The transparent front part of the eye that allows light to enter.

Uvea

The middle pigmented vascular layer of the eye, consisting of the choroid, ciliary body, and iris.

Choroid

Part of the uvea that provides nutrients and prevents light scattering.

Ciliary Body

Structure controlling lens shape and secretion of aqueous humor.

Iris

The colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil.

Retina

The inner layer of the eye consisting of a pigmented layer and a neural layer.

Photoreceptors

Cells in the retina that detect light; includes rods and cones.

Rods

Photoreceptors sensitive to low light, providing night and peripheral vision.

Cones

Photoreceptors that function in bright light, providing color vision.

Fovea Centralis

The area in the retina with the highest concentration of cones for precise vision.

Optic Nerve

Nerve formed by ganglion cell axons that transmits visual information to the brain.

Blind Spot

The point at which the optic nerve exits the retina, containing no photoreceptors.

Vitreous Humor

Jelly-like substance that helps support the eyeball and keep the retina in place.

Aqueous Humor

Fluid in the anterior segment of the eye that maintains intraocular pressure.

Ciliary Zonule

Connection between the lens and ciliary body that keeps the lens in place.

Biconvex Lens

The lens of the eye that adjusts focus for different distances.

Refraction

The bending of light as it passes through different mediums.

Accommodation

The process of the lens changing shape to focus on near or far objects.

Cranial Nerve III

The nerve responsible for controlling eye movements including those during accommodation.

Presbyopia

A condition where the lens loses elasticity, making it difficult to focus on close objects.

Myopia

Nearsightedness; the inability to see distant objects clearly.

Hyperopia

Farsightedness; the inability to see nearby objects clearly.

Astigmatism

A refractive error caused by an irregularly shaped cornea or lens.

Visual Pigments

Molecules that absorb light and initiate the phototransduction process.

Rhodopsin

The visual pigment in rods, composed of retinal and opsin.

Visual Pathway

The route of visual information from the retina to the visual cortex.

Optic Chiasma

The point where optic nerves partially cross over before reaching the brain.

Limbic System

Part of the brain involved in emotions and memory, which olfactory signals can influence.

Olfactory Epithelium

The tissue in the nasal cavity containing sensory neurons for smell.

Mitral Cells

Cells in the olfactory bulb that relay olfactory information to the brain.