Need help from an expert?
The world’s top online tutoring provider trusted by students, parents, and schools globally.
The eye's lens works by bending or refracting light to focus it onto the retina.
The human eye is a complex organ that functions much like a camera. The lens of the eye is a crucial component in this process. It is a transparent, biconvex structure located behind the iris and the pupil. Its primary function is to refract or bend light rays so that they focus precisely on the retina, the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye.
The lens achieves this by changing its shape, a process known as accommodation. When we look at objects far away, the lens becomes thinner, reducing its refractive power. Conversely, when we look at objects close up, the lens becomes thicker, increasing its refractive power. This change in shape is controlled by the ciliary muscles surrounding the lens. When these muscles relax, the lens flattens for distant vision. When they contract, the lens thickens for near vision.
The lens also works in conjunction with the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye, to refract light. The cornea provides most of the eye's optical power, but unlike the lens, it cannot change shape. It is the lens's ability to adjust its shape and, therefore, its refractive power that allows us to focus on objects at varying distances.
In summary, the lens of the eye plays a vital role in our ability to see clearly. By changing its shape, it adjusts the path of incoming light rays to ensure they focus on the retina, enabling us to perceive the world around us in sharp detail.
Study and Practice for Free
Trusted by 100,000+ Students Worldwide
Achieve Top Grades in your Exams with our Free Resources.
Practice Questions, Study Notes, and Past Exam Papers for all Subjects!
The world’s top online tutoring provider trusted by students, parents, and schools globally.