The Human Eye

Course ID: EYE-121

Audience
Students enrolled in the Hadley School for Professional Studies

This course is for you if you have experienced a loss of vision, if you have a family member who is visually impaired, or if you work with individuals who are visually impaired. The general anatomy and function of the parts of the eye are described in everyday terms. Eye diseases and their treatments and practical implications of each disease are presented. With this information, you can formulate questions to ask your own health care provider regarding your specific situation.

Available in:
large print

Organization:
10 lessons

Credit:
3 CEUs

COURSE DETAILS
Lesson assignments evaluate your comprehension of the material presented. Each contains 8 to 12 short‑answer questions. Answer them in the medium of your choice (print, braille, or cassette) and mail them to your instructor. Practical application questions are designed so that you can apply what you have learned to your own situation. Your answers to them do not need to be sent to your instructor.

Prerequisites:
None

Grading
Letter grade A‑F

Maximum Completion Time
5 months

Course Materials
one large print volume.

OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT

Lesson 1: Structure and Function of the Eye

This lesson introduces you to the basic parts of the eye and describes how light impulses are transported to the brain, where they are transformed into visual images that have meaning.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Describe how the eye works
Identify the basic structures of the eye

Lesson 2: How the Eyes Are Examined

This lesson introduces you to the examination conducted by an eye specialist. The difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist is described, and the sequence, procedures, and instruments used during a general eye examination are reviewed, including electrodiagnostic testing.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Identify the various professionals involved in an eye examination
Identify the various procedures used during the eye examination
Identify some of the instruments used by the eye specialist

Lesson 3: How the Eye Sees

This lesson teaches you about how light travels, how it is transmitted to the brain, and how it is altered when passing through different surfaces (including the human eye). You learn how various optical lenses correct refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), presbyopia, and astigmatism. You also learn about spectacle, contact lens, and bifocal prescriptions, and the various factors which an eye specialist takes into consideration when examining your eyes.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Describe light and how it travels through space
Describe how the eye responds to light entering it
Identify how light travels through different types of lenses
Describe how different lenses can be used to correct refractive errors

Lesson 4: The Cornea

This lesson describes the layers of the cornea: the outer epithelium, Bowman’s membrane, the stroma, Descemet’s membrane and the inner layer, the endothelium. Some causes of corneal infection, injury, and disease and some treatments are discussed. Systemic diseases that affect the cornea, surgical treatment of corneal conditions, and cautions regarding drugs that affect the cornea are presented.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Describe the parts of the cornea
Identify some of the results of and treatment for infection, injury, and disease to the cornea

Lesson 5: Eye Muscles

This lesson describes the six muscles which control the movements of the eyes. Strabismus (the misalignment of one eye) and the possible resulting diplopia or amblyopia (the decreased visual acuity of one eye) are discussed, together with possible methods of treatment.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Describe the six muscles that control eye movements
Define depth perception, convergence, divergence, and diplopia
Discuss the causes and treatment of amblyopia and strabismus

Lesson 6: The Conjunctiva

In this lesson, the two parts of the conjunctiva, the palpebral and bulbar, are briefly described. Bacterial, viral, and allergic conjunctivitis are differentiated. Some additional conditions that affect the conjunctiva are briefly discussed.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Name the two parts of the conjunctiva
List the causes of and differences between bacterial, viral, and allergic conjunctivitis
Briefly describe other conditions associated with the conjunctiva

Lesson 7: The Uveal Tract

This lesson discusses the three parts of the uveal tract: the iris, the colored part of the eye surrounding the pupil which controls the amount of light entering the eye; the ciliary body, which is attached to the root of the iris and produces aqueous humor; and the choroid, which lies between the retina and the sclera and is the vascular layer that supplies nourishment to the retina. There is a discussion of two main conditions associated with the uveal tract: uveitis and glaucoma.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Identify the parts of the uveal tract and their function
Describe symptoms and treatment of uveitis
List four different types of glaucoma and give the cause, symptoms, and treatment for each

Lesson 8: The Lens

This lesson describes the structure and function of the lens of the eye, the effects of cataract formation and dislocated lenses, surgical treatment for cataracts, and drugs which affect the lens and its ability to focus.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Identify the function of the lens
Describe the location of the lens
Describe a cataract
Identify other conditions associated with the lens

Lesson 9: The Retina

In this lesson the parts of the retina are described. Three eye conditions which affect children (retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), retinoblastoma, and Leber’s) are briefly discussed. Eye conditions that are more common in adults, those of retinal detachment, macular degeneration, and retinitis pigmentosa, are also identified. Diabetes and hypertension and the effect that they have on the retina are explained.

After completing this lesson, you will be able to
Describe the parts of the retina
Identify some of the common eye conditions in children and adults that involve the retina
Explain some of the treatments for these various eye conditions
Identify the effect of some systemic diseases upon the retina

Lesson 10: The Central Nervous System

This lesson reviews the role of the brain in the physiologic process of vision, as well as in the higher order process of seeing (that is, interpreting) what the visual system makes possible. The path of the visual impulse from retina to occipital lobe is discussed, and various eye conditions associated with the visual pathways and the cranial nerves are presented. The function of the eye in helping to diagnose other central nervous system problems is stressed.

In this lesson, you will learn
The parts of the brain responsible for vision and seeing
How visual images travel through the brain
Which side of the brain is responsible for which visual field(s)
What the pupil can tell about brain function
Some common eye conditions associated with the brain and visual pathways

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