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Merck Manual
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Professional /
Eye Disorders /
Approach to the Ophthalmologic Patient /
... /
Ophthalmic Anatomy /
OTHER TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER
Approach to the Ophthalmologic Patient
Ophthalmic Anatomy
Evaluation of the Ophthalmologic Patient
ADDITIONAL CONTENT
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Refractive Surgery
Which of the following possible complications of refractive surgery is most likely to result in loss of best-corrected acuity?
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Ophthalmic Anatomy

By

Leila M. Khazaeni

, MD, Loma Linda University School of Medicine

Last full review/revision Mar 2019| Content last modified Mar 2019
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Topic Resources

It is important to understand the anatomy of the eye prior to doing an examination.

Cross-section of the eye

The zonules of Zinn keep the lens suspended, and the muscles of the ciliary body focus the lens. The ciliary body also secretes aqueous humor, which fills the anterior and posterior chambers, passes through the pupil into the anterior chamber, and drains primarily via Schlemm’s canal. The iris regulates the amount of light entering the eye by adjusting the size of its central opening, the pupil. Visual images are focused on the retina. The fovea centralis is the area of sharpest visual acuity. The conjunctiva covers the eyeball and lines the upper and lower eyelids; it ends at the limbus. The cornea is covered with epithelium that is more sensitive than and differs from the conjunctival epithelium.

Cross-section of the eye
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© 2021 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA
Evaluation of the Ophthalmologic Patient
OTHER TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER
Approach to the Ophthalmologic Patient
Ophthalmic Anatomy
Evaluation of the Ophthalmologic Patient
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Test your knowledge
Refractive Surgery
Which of the following possible complications of refractive surgery is most likely to result in loss of best-corrected acuity?
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Download the Manuals App iOS ANDROID
Download the Manuals App iOS ANDROID
Download the Manuals App iOS ANDROID
Download the Manuals App iOS ANDROID
Download the Manuals App iOS ANDROID

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