Anterior eye segment

Anterior eye segment refers to the front third of the eye that includes the structures in front of the vitreous humour: the cornea, iris, ciliary body, and lens.

Anatomy

The anatomy of the anterior eye segment is complex and includes several key structures.

Cornea

The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. It is responsible for focusing most of the light that comes into the eye.

Iris

The iris is the colored part of the eye. It controls the diameter and size of the pupil and thus the amount of light reaching the retina.

Ciliary Body

The ciliary body is a part of the eye that includes the ciliary muscle, which controls the shape of the lens, and the ciliary epithelium, which produces the aqueous humor.

Lens

The lens is a transparent biconvex structure in the eye that, along with the cornea, helps to refract light to be focused on the retina.

Function

The anterior eye segment plays a crucial role in vision. The cornea and lens focus light onto the retina, the iris controls the amount of light that enters the eye, and the ciliary body produces the aqueous humor that nourishes the cornea and lens and maintains intraocular pressure.

Diseases and Disorders

There are several diseases and disorders that can affect the anterior eye segment, including glaucoma, cataracts, and corneal ulcers.

See Also

• Posterior eye segment
• Eye anatomy
• Visual system