Person is looking at a distant object (estimated 7m or more)

  • Light rays reflecting off the object are almost parallel to each other when they reach the eye

  • These light rays → then refracted through the cornea and aqueous humour → into the pupil

  • lens becomes flatter

  • Smaller angle of refraction is needed to focus on retina

  • Ciliary muscles of ciliary body relax and suspensory ligaments are pulled tight, pulling edge of lens.

  • image is focused on fovea.

  • Since rays are almost parallel → lens needs to be thinner as only a smaller angle of refraction is needed.

Following Changes occur in the eye when focusing on a distant object:

  • Ciliary muscles relax, TIGHTENING THEIR PULL on the suspensory ligaments
  • Suspensory ligaments become taut, pulling on the edge of the lens
  • Lens → being elastic → becomes thinner and less convex, increasing its focal length. ^80344b (Focal length is the distance between middle of the lens and point of focus on retina)
  • Light rays from the distant object → bend less → are sharply focused on the retina (fovea)
  • Photoreceptors are stimulated
  • Nerve impulses produced → transmitted by the optic nerve to the brain
    • Brain interprets nerve impulses → and person sees distant object