Your Eyes Explained

Your eyes allow you to view the world in all its stunning detail. Through a complex process, they detect and focus light to create images.

Knowing how your eyes work can help explain why regularly seeing your eye doctor is so important. The more you know about what your eyes need and why, the easier it will be to notice eye problems and address them proactively.

Our eye doctors at Total Vision Willow Glen, formerly i-Care Optometry, are here to teach you more about your eyes and their specific needs. Use the information on this page to learn more about your eyes, then contact us for an appointment to have your concerns addressed by qualified professionals.

Book Appointment

Essential Eye Components

The eye has many parts, but here are some of the most important:

Cornea: a collection of cells and proteins that form the eye’s surface.
Pupil: an opening in the center of the eye that allows light to enter.
Iris: the colored portion of the eye, which controls the amount of light coming in by opening and closing the pupil.
Crystalline lens: a transparent structure behind the iris that can change shape to control focus.
Retina: a light-sensitive structure near the rear of the eye that contains numerous rods and cones.
Rods and cones: parts of the retina responsible for collecting different types of visual information.
Optic nerve: the pathway by which visual information is sent to the brain.

How Vision Works

Vision begins when light bounces off an object and enters the eye through the cornea and then through the pupil. Next, this light passes through the crystalline lens, which refracts light so it can focus on the retina. By changing shape, the lens can also change the focal distance of the eye and allow it to focus on objects at various distances.

When light reaches the retina, an assortment of rods and cones sends visual information to the brain. Rods communicate the object’s shape, while cones communicate its color. Working together, they create an image by triggering nerve impulses and sending them to the brain’s image centers along the optic nerve.

Interesting Eye Facts

Did you know:

Your eyes heal faster than most other parts of the body. In some cases, a scratch on your cornea can heal in as little as 24 hours!
Over half of your brain is involved in visual processing, making it one of our most complex senses.
Although babies normally cry often, their eyes don’t actually produce tears until they are several weeks old. That’s because their lacrimal glands (which are essential for tear production) haven’t begun to function fully yet.

Learn More About Your Eyes

Your eyes are extraordinarily sensitive and complex, so it’s vital to see your eye doctor often and check their status. Contact us today to book an appointment and make sure your eyes are as healthy as possible.

Book Appointment