BIO SCI 35 Lecture 9: Bio Sci 35 Lecture 9: Optics of the Eye

• School: UC-Irvine
• Department: Biological Sciences
• Course: BIO SCI 35
• Professor: Andrea Nicholas

Document Summary

Can see more clearly than normal people underwater. They may use the voluntary accommodation reflex to counteract the automatic light reflex. Fish eyes are better suited to underwater vision. Mediated by a circuit through the brain stem. Light comes in - triggers neurons - sends signals to brain stem - influence activity of iris. Consensual - if you shine light in one eye, the other eye will also constrict. Pupillary light reflex is automatic and makes underwater vision worse. The optics of the eye are imperfect, i. e. , rays of light that enter on the periphery of the optics are misfocused. The cornea provides 2/3 of the eye"s optical power in terrestrial critters. The lens provides variable optical power to shift focus on demand. When eyes focusing on object, pupils may constrict. Pupil constriction during accommodation counteracts our imperfect optics. When we go deeper underwater, our pupils start to dilate.