Did you know that your eyes give doctors a sneak peek into your vascular system? This means that having your eyes checked regularly can help ensure early diagnosis of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. 

For individuals, our eyes provide visual information about our surroundings. For physicians, eyes are a window into a patient’s health and wellbeing.

What does the human eye look like?

Just a small portion (one sixth) of the entire eye is “outside” the skull and visible as part of the anatomy of the face. This “external” portion is protected by eyelids, eyelashes and eyebrows which help deflect strong light and potentially harmful foreign objects from entering the eye. The eyeball itself rests in a rounded cavity in the human skull which is called the orbit.

Parts of the human eye.

All of the parts of the human eye work together to translate light into information that your brain processes, allowing you to see your physical world. If any of the parts are damaged or affected by disease, your vision will also be affected. 

These are the separate parts of the human eye, and the roles they play in helping you to see the world around you: (This information is condensed from The Columbia University Department of Ophthalmology) 

The sclera:

The white part of the eyeball – called the sclera – is the outermost layer. The sclera provides structure and strength.

The conjunctiva:

This is a thin, clear layer of cells that protects the visible portion of the sclera.

The cornea:

A clear layer of dome-shaped tissue that is responsible for most of the focussing power of light entering the eye.

The iris:

It gives the eye its unique colour, and acts as a diaphragm that expands and contracts, allowing light to enter into the eye. The iris is what makes the pupil larger or smaller.

The pupil:

This is the dark ‘hole’ in the centre of the iris. Light passes from the cornea through the pupil and hits the lens of the eye.

The lens:

The lens of the eye is situated just behind the iris. It is flexible and changes shape to help the cornea focus light onto the retina. , which is a light-sensitive area of tissue that lines the inside wall of the eye.

The retina:

A light-sensitive area of tissue around the walls of the inside of the eye. Light that hits the retina is converted into signals that are sent to the optic nerve.

The optic nerve:

This nerve is connected to the brain, and it processes the light signals sent through the retina. The brain then translates these signals and interprets them as the shapes and colours.

The vitreous:

The inside of the eye is filled with a gel-like substance called the vitreous. This helps give the eye structure, and a round shape.

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