The eye is an amazing structure made up of several different parts. The cornea is the clear front window which focuses and transmits light onto the retina. The iris is the colored portion of your eye and helps regulate the amount of light that enters your eye. It also separates the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye. The pupil is the dark center in the middle of the iris. By changing size, the pupil regulates how much light enters the eye. The sclera is the white portion of your eye which protects your eye and serves as the attachment for the extra ocular muscles which move the eye. The tear layer keeps the eye moist, creates a smooth surface for light to pass through the eye, nourishes the front of the eye, and provides protection from injury and infection. The crystalline lens is the transparent structure inside of the eye located directly behind your iris; its sole function is to focus light rays onto the retina. The ciliary body has two functions, making the aqueous fluid that fills the front of your eye and allowing the eye to focus at different distances. The retina is the nerve layer that lines the back of your eye. The retina's function is to sense light and create impulses that are sent through the optic nerve and to the brain. The optic nerve is located in the back of the eye and is responsible for transmitting the images we see from the retina to the brain. The macula is located roughly in the center of the retina. It is a small and highly sensitive part of the retina responsible for detailed central vision. The vitreous is a clear, jelly-like substance that fills the center of the eye. The vitreous helps the eye maintain a round shape and is attached to the retina at various points, including the macula and the optic nerve.
Learn more at the American Academy of Ophthalmology website.