The miracle of the most sensitive sense of all, vision, is a complex interplay of all the different parts of the eye. An understanding of our diseases requires an understanding of the anatomy of the eye.
The Miracle of Sight
1. Light from the outside world first goes through the cornea, which is the clear layer that is in charge of most of the focusing power of the eye.
2. The extent of light that enters the eye is controlled by the iris, which is the muscle that constricts and dilates depending in part on the lighting conditions we are in.
3. Then the light goes through the lens of the eye which is in control of part of the focusing power of the eye and allows us to accommodate and see objects at different distances clearly.
4. Light then goes through a clear gel called the "vitreous", which is the main cause of floaters.
5. Finally, light reaches the retina which is the delicate fine membrane lining the wall of the eye and which is in charge of changing light energy from the outside world into chemical and electrical energy which is transmitted through the nerve of the eye to the brain. The retina is the final part of the visual pathway within the eye which allows us to see. It is developmentally an extension of the brain tissue into the eye.