How Your Eyes Let You See

Your eyes carry out various complex processes to provide your sense of sight, which is why it’s important to prioritize your visual health. Understanding how your eyes work can help you do so more effectively. Today, your optometrist from Six One Six Vision Center discusses the visual cycle.

Working Together as a Team

Light rays bounce off objects within your field of vision and pass through your cornea. The received light then enters the pupil. The size of the pupil’s opening is controlled by the iris, the colored region of your eyes. If you’re in a dark space, your pupil expands; if you’re in a bright space, it contracts.

Next, the lens bends these light rays to focus them onto the retina. To do so, the lens curves when you’re looking at nearby objects and flattens when you’re viewing a distant object. Your eye doctor explains that the retina will convert the light rays into nerve impulses. The optic nerve will then deliver these to the brain, completing the image translation cycle.

Taking Care of Your Eyes

Having regular eye exams should always be a priority. Doing so can help us easily identify underlying eye problems, giving us an opportunity to render prompt treatment. Upon finding signs of nearsightedness or other refractive errors, for example, we may prescribe corrective eyeglasses or contact lenses for your improved vision. Routine eye exams also allow for early detection of more serious eye conditions like glaucoma, which tend to be asymptomatic in the early stages. Scheduling regular eye exams can literally save your sight, so don’t procrastinate!

For more information about your eyes or other vision concerns, you can reach us at (208) 514-1858 or complete our form. We serve Eagle, Meridian and the surrounding Idaho communities.