Anatomy Academy

The Eye and Sight

• Eye gathers and focuses light on the retina.

• Retina converts light into nerve impulses, sent to the brain.

• Major structures:

  • Cornea: Transparent front part of the eye that helps focus light.

  • Sclera: The white outer layer of the eyeball.

  • Iris: Colored part of the eye that controls the size of the pupil.

  • Lens: Transparent structure that further focuses light on the retina.

  • Retina: Layer at the back of the eye containing photoreceptors that detect light.

  • Optic Nerve: Transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.

• Rods (brightness detection) and cones (color detection) present in the retina.

The Ear and Hearing

• Ear collects sound waves, transmits to cochlea.

• Converts sound to nerve impulses for auditory cortex interpretation.

• Major parts:

  • Pinna: The outer ear that collects sound waves.

  • Auditory Canal: Pathway that directs sound to the tympanic membrane.

  • Tympanic Membrane (Eardrum): Vibrates in response to sound waves.

  • Ossicles: Three tiny bones (malleus, incus, stapes) that amplify sound vibrations.

  • Cochlea: A spiral-shaped structure that converts sound vibrations into nerve impulses transmitted to the brain.