• Feel Good Contacts
  • 01 514 3614
  • Need Optical Advice?
  • OFFERS
    • 10% off First Order
    • 5% off on Auto Replenish
    • Glasses up to 70% off
    • Sunglasses up to 60% off
    • Refer a Friend
    • Earn Reward Points
    • Student Discount
  • Contact Lenses
    Top Brands
    • Acuvue
    • Air Optix
    • Alcon / Ciba Vision
    • Bausch & Lomb
    • Biofinity
    • Clariti
    • Comfi
    • Cooper Vision
    • Focus Dailies
    • Freshlook
    • All Brands
    Type
    • Daily Contact Lenses
    • Monthly Contact Lenses
    • Two Weekly Contact Lenses
    • Toric/Astigmatism Lenses
    • Multifocal Contact Lenses
    • Coloured Contact Lenses
    • Cheap Contact Lenses
    • Next Day Contact Lenses
    • Extended Contact Lenses
    • Silicone Hydrogel Lenses
    • No Prescription Lenses
    Top Sellers
    • comfi Daily Disposable
    • 1 Day Acuvue Moist
    • Dailies AquaComfort Plus
    • Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with HydraLuxe
    • Acuvue Oasys
    • 1 Day Acuvue Moist For Astigmatism
    • Air Optix Aqua
    • FreshLook Colorblends
    • Biofinity
    • 1 Day Acuvue Moist Multifocal
    Buyer's Guide
    • Save with comfi
    • Which comfi is for you?
    • How to put in contact lenses
    • How to clean your contact lenses
    • Guide to Astigmatism
    • Glasses prescription vs contact lens prescription
    • Best contact lenses for dry eyes
    View All Contact Lenses
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Solutions
    Top Brands
    • Boston
    • Biotrue
    • Comfi
    • EasySept
    • Ote Optics
    • Opti Free
    • OxySept
    • ReNu
    • Total Care
    • All Brands
    Type
    • Multi Purpose Solutions
    • Saline Solutions
    • Peroxide Solutions
    • Travel Pack Solutions
    • Rigid & Gas Permeable
    • Multi Pack Solutions
    Top Sellers
    • comfi All-in-One Solution
    • Biotrue Multi-Purpose Solution Twin Pack
    • Delta Plus Disinfecting Soaking and Wetting Solution
    • ReNu Multi-Purpose Solution Triple Pack
    • Opti-Free Express Twin Pack
    • Opti-Free RepleniSH Twin Pack
    • Refine One Step Solution - 250ml Triple Pack
    Buyer's Guide
    • How to clean and store soft lenses
    • Which contact lens solution do I need?
    • How to clean a contact lens case
    View All Solutions
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Eye Care
    Top Brands
    • Altacor
    • Artelac
    • Biotrue
    • Comfi
    • Blink
    • Hycosan
    • Optase
    • Systane
    • The Body Doctor
    • Thea
    Eye Care
    • Eye Drops
    • Eye Accessories
    • Dry Eye Treatments
    • Supplements & Hygiene
    • Face Masks
    • Covid Essentials
    • Travel Essentials
    Top Sellers
    • comfi Soothe Drops
    • Blink-N-Clean Eye Drops
    • Blink Intensive Tears Vials
    • Clinitas Soothe Multi
    • Feel Good Contact Lens Case
    • Feel Good Cleaning Kit
    • Hycosan Extra Dry Eye Drops
    • The Eye Doctor Lid Wipes
    • Thera-Pearl Eye Mask
    • The AB Mask Anti-Fog Cloth
    Buyer's Guide
    • How to use eye drops
    • How to stop itchy eyes from hay fever - for good
    • Computer Eye Strain:
      Symptoms and Solutions
    View All Eye Care
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Glasses
    Gender
    • Women
      Glasses for women
    • Men
      Glasses for men
    Brands
    • Calvin Klein
    • Chloe
    • DKNY
    • Dolce & Gabbana
    • Emporio Armani
    • Feel Good Collection
    • Gucci
    • Hugo Boss
    • Lacoste
    • Le Specs
    • Marc Jacobs
    • MaxMara
    • Michael Kors
    • Oakley
    • O'Neill
    • Polaroid
    • Polo Ralph Lauren
    • Prada
    • Radley
    • Ralph by Ralph Lauren
    • Ray-Ban
    • Superdry
    • Tommy Hilfiger
    • Versace
    • Vogue
    Frame Shapes
    • Aviator Aviator
    • Oval Oval
    • Rectangle Rectangle
    • Round Round
    • Square Square
    • Wayfarer Wayfarer
    • Clubmaster Clubmaster
    • Cat Eye Cat Eye
    • Butterfly Butterfly
    • Hexagonal Hexagonal
    Special Offers
    • Clearance
    • New Arrivals
    • Best Sellers
    Price Range
    • €7 - €30
    • €30 - €70
    • €70 - €100
    • €100+
    Advice & Top Tips
    • Glasses prescription
    • Glasses frame size guide
    • Glasses lens options
    • Glasses lens coatings
    • How to tighten my glasses
    • Lens packages
    View All Brands View Blue Light Glasses
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Sunglasses
    Gender
    • Women
      Sunlasses for women
    • Men
      Sunglasses for men
    Brands
    • Calvin Klein
    • Carrera
    • Chloe
    • Dolce & Gabbana
    • Dunlop
    • Feel Good Collection
    • Gucci
    • Hugo Boss
    • Jimmy Choo
    • Kendall + Kylie
    • Lacoste
    • Le Specs
    • Linda Farrow
    • Oakley
    • O'Neill
    • Persol
    • Polaroid
    • Police
    • Prada
    • Radley
    • Ray-Ban
    • Saint Laurent
    • Superdry
    • Tommy Hilfiger
    • Versace
    • Victoria Beckham
    • Vogue
    Frame Shapes
    • Aviator Aviator
    • Oval Oval
    • Rectangle Rectangle
    • Round Round
    • Square Square
    • Wayfarer Wayfarer
    • Wrap Wrap
    • Clubmaster Clubmaster
    • Cat Eye Cat Eye
    • Butterfly Butterfly
    • Hexagonal Hexagonal
    • Octagonal Octagonal
    • Heart Heart
    Advice & Top Tips
    • Sunglasses tints
    • Face shape guide
    • Types of sunglasses
    • UV protection guide
    Special Offers
    • Clearance
    • New Arrivals
    • Best Sellers
    Lens Coatings
    • Polarised
    • Mirrored
    • Gradient
    Price Range
    • €15 - €50
    • €50 - €80
    • €80 - €120
    • €120+
    View All Brands View Collections
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Help
    Customer Information
    • Contact Us
    • Delivery Information
    • Returns & Exchange
    • FAQ
    Customer Advice
    • Eye Care Hub
    • Optical Advice
    • Free Eye Test
    • Advice on Covid-19
    Popular Content
    • No Prescription Needed
    • Contact Lens Prescription
    • Glasses Prescription
    • Guides to Brands
    Tools
    • Vision Simulator
    • Dry Eye Quiz
    feel good contacts menu feel good contacts menu
  • Blog
  • search feel good contacts blog
  • search feel good contacts
  • 0
  • Reorder
  • Login Login
      feel good contacts menu
    • My Account
    • Orders
    • Personal Details
    • Log out
    feel good contacts menu
    Existing Customer

    We've sent you an email
    to reset your password.

    Enter your email address

    I would like to receive friendly reminders when it’s time to re-order. I am aware I can easily unsubscribe from these at any time.
    NEW Customer
    Forgot Password Cancel
Price match guarantee
Order by 5:45pm for same day dispatch
Excellent
Reward points
Home
Eye Care Hub
Anatomy of Eye

Contact Lens Care

  • Which contact lens solution do I need?
  • How to clean a contact lens case?
  • How can I tell if my contact lens is inside out?

About Contact Lenses

  • How do toric contact lenses work?
  • What does the water content of a contact lens mean?

Eye Health

  • What are the best contact lenses for dry eyes?
  • How dehydration impacts your eyes?
  • Computer eye strain: Symptoms and solutions

Children's Eye Health

  • Why does my child get styes?
  • At what age can my child wear contacts?
  • How can I tell if my child has vision problems?

Lenses & Lifestyle

  • Which sunglasses will suit my face shape?
  • What are polarised sunglasses?
  • Guide to different types on sunglasses?

Prescriptions & Eye Tests

  • Difference between an Ophthalmologist, Optometrist & Optician
  • What does axis mean on my prescription
  • Can I buy my contact lenses online

Guides

  • A guide to Astigmastism
  • A guide to eye discharge
  • A guide to Presbyopia

Anatomy of human eye-how the human eye works

Medically reviewed by Alastair Lockwood on 04 March 2021

The eye is the organ which helps us to see. It features several components which work in conjunction to give us sight. This includes the cornea, iris, pupil, lens, retina, macula, optic nerve, choroid and vitreous.

What is the anatomy of the human eye?

The anatomy of the human eye provides us with light perception, depth perception and the ability to see colour. The components of the human eye are split into different parts.

How many parts does the human eye have?

The human eye is a complex organ with parts that work together to help us see. There are three layers of the human eye:

  • Outermost layer-made up on the cornea and sclera.
  • Middle layer-the choroid, ciliary body and iris are located here.
  • Innermost layer-this is where the retina is located.

What do the parts of the eye do?

Each part of the eye performs a different function enabling us to see.

Anatomy of human eye

Iris - this is the colored part of the eye which features the pupil in the middle. It controls the amount of light entering the eye so that the pupil closes in bright conditions, to let less light into the eye. The pupil also opens in dark conditions, to allow more light in.

Pupil - this is the round centre in the iris through which light passes through. The opening and closing of the pupil is often compared to the aperture in a 35mm camera.

Cornea - this is the clear part at the front of the eye which focuses light into the eye. The cornea has multiple layers. The outer layer acts as a shield to the deeper layers which serve the purpose of strengthening the eye. The cornea maintains its clarity by being relatively dehydrated in consistency compared to other tissues in the wall of the eye (sclera / white of the eye). Pumps on the inside of the cornea continuously pump fluid that seeps into the cornea back into the eye. There are no blood vessels in the cornea, making it highly sensitive to pain. Contact lenses are placed on the cornea for visual correction.

Lens - located behind the pupil, the crystalline lens allows the eyes to focus on small details. It adjusts, becoming thinner or thicker. As we get older, our lens deteriorates preventing us from seeing in as much detail, which is why we require reading glasses.

Macula - located in the retina, the macula is the small central area containing light sensitive cells which allow us to see in fine detail. It is responsible for processing sharp images, giving us the ability to see fine detail so that we can have 20/20 vision.

Optic Nerve - an electrical cable consisting of over 1.2. million nerve fibres which transmit electrical impulses from the retina to the brain.

Retina - a layer of nerves lining the back of the eye, the retina contains light-sensitive cells called rods and cones. It converts light into chemical and nervous signals which travel to the brain through the optic nerve.

Choroid - the middle layer of the eye located between the retina and the sclera. It contains connective tissues and supplies nutrients to the outer retina.

Ciliary body - this part of the eye connects the choroid to the iris

Fovea - also known as the fovea centralis, the fovea is responsible for providing the highest visual acuity, producing the sharpest vision and the greatest colour contrast.

Optic disc - also referred to as the ‘blind spot’ or optic nerve head. The optic disc is a circular area at the back of the eye where the optic nerve connects to the retina.

Sclera - the white outer layer of the eye surrounding the cornea. It supports the eyeball and protects it against rupture.

Rod cells - photoreceptor cells located in the retina at the outer edges. These cells can function in low light and are responsible for peripheral vision.

Cone cells - also located in the retina, these light-sensitive cells function best in bright light and are responsible for colour vision.

Vitreous humor - a transparent jelly-like substance which fills the eyeball behind the lens.

Aqueous humor - a thin transparent fluid which provides nourishment to the cornea and the lens. The aqueous humor is contained in the anterior chamber and posterior chamber).

How the human eye works step by step

The way in which the human eye works can be likened to a camera:

  • Light enters the eye through the cornea which acts like a camera lens.
  • The light passes through the pupil and the iris controls the amount of light which passes through it, just like the aperture on a camera.
  • The light rays then reach the lens and the lens helps the eye focus on objects like the autofocus on a camera lens. This process is called accommodation.
  • he lens focuses light rays onto the retina which can be likened to an electronic image sensor in a digital camera. The retina receives an inverted image and converts this into electrical signals which are transmitted by the optic nerve to the visual cortex. The visual cortex is our part of the brain which controls sight.

Eye Muscles

In addition to the parts which form the anatomy of the eye, there are six extraocular muscles which control eye movement. These muscles include:

  • Lateral rectus
  • Medial rectus
  • Inferior rectus
  • Superior rectus
  • Inferior oblique
  • Superior oblique

Eye movement

There are different types of eye movement controlled by the six muscles in the eye. This includes:

  • Rapid eye movement-this happens during the sleep stage when we dream and is also referred to as REM
  • Saccade-the movements are controlled by the frontal lobe of the brain. It refers to rapid movement of both eyes at the same time
  • Vestibulo-ocular Reflex-this movement stabilizes your gaze when you move your head
  • Pursuit movement-these are small tracking movements which allow you to follow a moving object.

Quick links:

A guide to peripheral vision
Do I need an eye test?
A guide to myopia
Please wait
Why Us
  • 10% Off Your First Order
  • Price Match Guarantee
  • 5% Off with Auto-Replenish
  • Feel Good Contacts App
  • Save with comfi
  • Which comfi is for you?
  • Trustpilot Reviews
  • Student Discount
  • Reward Points
  • Reasons to Feel Good
Top Products
  • 1 Day Acuvue Moist
  • Dailies AquaComfort Plus
  • comfi Daily Disposable
  • Acuvue Oasys 1-Day with HydraLuxe
  • Dailies Total 1
  • Acuvue Oasys
  • 1 Day Acuvue Moist For Astigmatism
  • Air Optix Aqua
  • FreshLook Colorblends
  • Biofinity
Order Information
  • Optician Own Brand Contact Lenses
  • No Prescription Needed
  • Delivery Information
  • Returns and Exchange
  • Secure Online Shopping
  • Contact Lens Specifications
  • Optical Advice
  • FAQs
  • About Us
Contact Us
  • 01 514 3614
  • +44 7810 004 929 (WhatsApp)
  • +44 7810 004 929 (WhatsApp)
  • cs@feelgoodcontacts.ie
Customer Service Hours

Mon - Fri: 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sat - Sun: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Bank Holidays: 9:00am - 5:30pm

Download the app
Countries
  • feel good contacts united kingdom
  • feel good contacts ireland
  • feel good contacts france
Secure Payments Secure Payments
Secure Payments
©2023 Feel Good Contacts Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
T&Cs Privacy Policy Cookie Disclaimer Affiliate Program
Top