How the Eye Sees

The eye is truly an amazing organ. It is able to take pictures of the world which the brain then interprets. The best way to help illustrate how this process works in the eye is to think of it as a camera.

A lens allows light into a camera to focus an object onto film. The eye works in a similar fashion. The front clear part of the eye called the cornea and the lens focus an object on the back of the eye called the retina.

Like camera film, the retina sees and records the picture. The picture is then sent through the optic nerve to the brain which interprets what is being seen. By having two eyes, we can perceive depth.

The job of an optometrist is to ensure that the eye is working properly.

Some examples of when the eye isn't working quite right would be if the cornea and lens are focusing the light off of the retina, things will appear blurry. This is when glasses or contacts are needed to help focus the light on the retina.

If the lens becomes clouded so the picture on the retina is not clear, cataract surgery may be needed.

The film or retina may become damaged due to a retinal problem such as macular degeneration. This will cause the brain to receive a blurry or incomplete picture.

Only a comprehensive eye exam by an optometrist, will determine if the eye is working properly.