The anatomy of the human eye can be better shown and understood by the actual dissection of an eye. One eye of choice for dissection, that closely resembles the human eye, is that of the sheep.
Differences between the two eye types are mentioned as the dissection is completed by the student under the direction of the teacher.
To order sheep eyes for your classroom, click HERE.
Anterior Chamber: The space between the cornea and the iris, filled with the aqueous humor.
Choroid: The vascular layer of the eye, containing connective tissue. Nutrition of the eye is dependent upon blood vessels in the choroid.
Ciliary Body: the part of the eye that connects the iris to the choroid.
Cornea: The clear, dome-shaped tissue covering the front of the eye.
Fovea: A tiny pit located in the macula of the retina that provides the clearest vision of all.
Iris: The colored part of the eye that controls the amount of light that enters the eye by changing the size of the pupil.
Lens: A crystalline structure located just behind the iris – it focuses light onto the retina.
Macula: The small area at the center of the retina responsible for what we see straight in front of us.
Optic Nerve: The nerve that transmits electrical impulses from the retina to the brain.
Pupil: The opening in the center of the iris. It changes size as the amount of light changes.
Retina: Light-sensitive tissue that lines the back of the eye. It contains millions of photoreceptors (rods and cones) that convert light rays into electrical impulses that are relayed to the brain via the optic nerve.
Vitreous Gel: A thick, transparent liquid that fills the center of the eye. It is mostly water and gives the eye its form and shape.