Basic Anatomy And Physiology Of The Human Visual System (Eye Anatomy)

Basic Anatomy And Physiology Of The Human Visual System (Eye Anatomy). The human eye is a complex structure designed to gather a significant amount of information about the environment around us. It is the sensor used by the Warfighter in the visually-rich battlespace. In designing a head/helmet-mounted display (HMD) system for the Warfighter, the human visual system (which begins with the eyes) could be considered as an integral component of the HMD and not as a separate and different system that subsequently is mated with the HMD. It is therefore important that HMD designers have an understanding of both anatomy and function of the human eye itself.

The functional operations of the human eye, its pointing and tracking mechanisms and the integration into a binocular visual system will be described. In this chapter, the goal is to provide the HMD designer with a basic understanding of the anatomy and physiology of this critical element of the human visual system. This chapter provides a brief overview of the visual system (inclusive of the eye organ itself), beginning at the front surface of the eye and progressing to the primary visual cortex at the back of the brain. Topics include:

• The Protective Structures of the Eye

• The Orbit
• The Lids
• The Sclera

• The Anterior Segment of the Eye

• The Cornea
• The Aqueous Humor
• The Iris
• The Crystalline Lens and Ciliary Muscle

• The Posterior Segment of the Eye

• The Retina
• The Vitreous Humor

• The Visual System Pathways to the Brain

• The Optic Nerves and Optic Tracts
• The Lateral Geniculate Nucleus
• The Visual Cortex

For more detailed discussions of the human eye’s anatomy and physiology, the reader should refer to the large volumes of texts available, e.g., Adler’s Physiology of the Eye (Kaufman and Alm [Eds.], 2003).