Depth of anterior chamber of the eye: March 2007

Ans. A: 2-3 mm The human eye is like two spheres combined, a smaller, sharper curved one and a larger lesser curved sphere. The former, the anterior segment is the front sixth of the eye that includes the structures in front of the vitreous humour: the cornea, iris, ciliary body, and lens. Within the anterior segment are two fluid-filled spaces: The anterior chamber between the posterior surface of the cornea (i.e. the corneal endothelium) and the iris. The depth of anterior chamber of eye is 2.5 mm. It is shallow in the very young and the deep. The posterior chamber between the iris and the front face of the vitreous. Aqueous humor fills these spaces within the anterior segment and provides nutrients to the surrounding structures. The posterior segment is the back five-sixths of the eye that includes the anterior hyaloid membrane and all of the optical structures behind it: the vitreous humor, retina, choroid, and optic nerve. The radii of the anterior and posterior sections are 8 mm and 12 mm, respectively. The point of junction is called the limbus. On the other side of the lens is the second humour, the aqueous humour, which is bounded on all sides: by the lens, ciliary body, suspensory ligaments and by the retina. It lets light through without refraction, helps maintain the shape of the eye and suspends the delicate lens.