Anatomy and Physiology of the Eye

The eye has many complex structures that work together to process visual stimuli. The tear film, responsible for maintaining the homeostatic state of the ocular surface, protects and provides nutrients to the anterior segment. The cornea is a clear window through which a visual signal is received and grossly focused. Posterior to the cornea, the iris works alongside the ciliary body to adjust the aperture of the eye and change the shape of the lens, increasing or decreasing light for visual processing. Schlemm’s canal acts as a pathway for substances to flow into and out of the eye. The vitreous humor is a gel-like substance that provides nutrients to various components of the eye, while accounting for the majority of the ocular volume. In the posterior segment, the visual stimulus is processed by the retina and transferred to the brain. Various conditions that affect vision affect over one billion individuals globally. Treatments have been developed to aid in the restoration or maintenance of vision for those individuals, which include therapeutic treatments like eye drops or injections and biomaterials like contact lenses or drug-delivery systems.