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Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
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Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
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Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
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At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...
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Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision
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Published on: June 13, 2019

Basic mechanisms in pinniped vision.

Frederike D Hanke1, Wolf Hanke, Christine Scholtyssek

  • 1General Zoology and Neurobiology, University of Bochum, ND 6/33, 44780 Bochum, Germany.

Experimental Brain Research
|April 28, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pinniped (seal) eyes have unique adaptations for amphibious vision, balancing high resolution and sensitivity. These adaptations, including multifocal lenses, enable effective underwater and aerial sight.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine Biology
  • Comparative Physiology
  • Sensory Ecology

Background:

  • Pinnipeds exhibit an amphibious lifestyle, necessitating adaptations in sensory systems, particularly vision, to navigate both aquatic and terrestrial environments.
  • Vision in water and air presents distinct optical challenges due to differences in refractive indices.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review existing knowledge on pinniped eye adaptations.
  • To emphasize recent findings on harbour seal vision, enhancing the understanding of amphibious visual capabilities.

Main Methods:

  • Reanalysis of refraction in harbour seals.
  • Corneal topography studies.
  • Measurement of visual acuity under varying ambient luminance levels.
  • Analysis of ganglion cell density and topography.

Main Results:

  • Harbour seal eyes demonstrate a balance between high visual resolution and sensitivity.
  • Evidence of multifocal lenses, wide visual fields, and specialized eye movement abilities in seals.
  • Recent studies have refined understanding of visual acuity and refractive properties in amphibious conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Pinniped eye structures are highly adapted for efficient vision in both water and air.
  • These adaptations are crucial for visually guided behaviors in their amphibious environment.
  • Further research into these mechanisms will illuminate visually mediated behaviors in pinnipeds.