The eyes are photosensitive organs that provide for the sense of sight by collecting and analyzing the shape, intensity, and color of light reflected from objects. Light enters the eye through the transparent cornea, passing through the anterior chamber and pupil, and through the lens and vitreous before striking the retina. Review the histological features and functions of the eye structures in the table below.

Examine the diagram and image below and these two sections of the eye (sample 1 and sample 2) at low power. From anterior to posterior, identify: cornea, iris, lens, ciliary body, location of the vitreous (vitreous is extracted during tissue processing), retina, and optic nerve.

In the images at the right and sample 1, carefully examine the retina. Identify the retinal pigmented epithelial cells (RPE), the rods and cones (R&C, photoreceptor cells), the three layers of cell bodies (ganglionic layer GL, inner nuclear layer INL, and outer nuclear layer ONL), the inner and outer plexiform layers (IPL and OPL), outer limiting layer (OLL), inner limiting membrane (ILM), choroid (C) with capillaries, and sclera (S).

Identify the fovea centralis (FC) and optic disc (OD) (where the optic nerve meets incoming axons from the retina) as seen in the images below.

More about the eye.