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Dry eye is a chronic medical condition that develops when the eye's tear film does not lubricate and protect the eye's outer surface.
Here we break down the key structures of the eye and explain what they do. In healthy eyes, all of these parts work together to provide clear vision.
The optic nerve, a bundle of retinal fibers at the back of the eye, passes electrical signals from the retina to the brain.
Signals from the optic nerve to the brain are interpreted in the primary visual cortex to form an image. The optic nerve is a critical conduit for visual information!
The large posterior (back) portion of the eye is filled with clear, jelly-like substance called the vitreous gel. It contains tiny fibers that attach to your retina.
The macula is the area in the center of the eye’s retina. It is responsible for central vision, like seeing faces or reading text.
The fovea is a depression at the center of the macula, responsible for the eye’s sharpest vision, including fine details and color.
The retina, the membrane that lines the back wall of the eye, contains photoreceptor (rod and cone) cells. These cells convert light to electrical impulses.
The iris is the part of the eye that gives the eye its color. Each iris is unique in color. The muscles of the iris control the pupil.
Light rays enter the eye through a transparent layer of tissue, known as the cornea. The cornea bends light through a watery substance called the aqueous humor.
The dark, round opening in the center of the colored iris is known as the pupil. The iris changes the size of the pupil from very small to large in order to regulate the amount of light that can enter the eye.
The lens, also called the crystalline lens, is a clear, flexible structure behind the iris. It is attached to muscles that contract or relax in order to allow light to be focused for clarity.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a vision disorder caused by abnormalities in a portion of the eye's retina called the macula. It can lead to loss of central vision.
Amblyopia (or “lazy eye”) refers to reduced vision due to incorrect signaling between the eye and brain. Strabismus, a condition of misaligned eyes, is the most common cause of amblyopia.
Cataract is a cloudy area on your normally clear lens, located behind your eye's colorful iris, that reduces vision.
Research to Prevent Blindness makes the following eye screening tool available. While this tool does not replace a visit to an eyecare specialist, we hope you find it helpful.
Corneal damage, such as clouding or scarring can be caused by injuries, infections, hereditary defects and inflammation from chronic dry eye.
Diabetic eye disease is a term for a group of conditions (including diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, cataracts, and glaucoma) that can affect people with diabetes.
Glaucoma is a progressive, vision-threatening disease that damages the cells and fibers of the optic nerve, affecting the transmission of signals from the eye to the brain.
IRDs are vision-threatening genetic disorders (caused by a defect with at least one gene) that affect retinal cells, causing photoreceptor degeneration or dysfunction. There are hundreds of genes that can cause an IRD.
Low vision is a broad term for conditions resulting in reduced sight that cannot entirely be corrected with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicines or surgery. It can affect central and/or peripheral vision.
Primary ocular (eye) cancers, meaning that they start in the eye and are not cancer that has spread from somewhere else in the body, include uveal melanoma and retinoblastoma.
Uveitis refers to inflammation of the uvea, the middle layer of the eyeball, which includes the iris, ciliary body and choroid. It can be the result of an infectious eye disease.