Accommodation

Definition

Accommodation is the process by which the eye changes its focus from distant to near objects, involving the adjustment of the lens shape. This is essential for clear vision across different distances.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Accommodation involves the ciliary muscles and zonular fibers adjusting the lens curvature.
2. The ability to accommodate decreases with age, a condition known as presbyopia.
3. Ophthalmic drugs like pilocarpine can enhance accommodation by stimulating ciliary muscle contraction.
4. Atropine and other anticholinergic drugs inhibit accommodation, leading to blurred near vision.
5. The near point of accommodation is the closest distance at which an object can be seen clearly.

Review Questions

• What role do the ciliary muscles play in accommodation?
• How does aging affect the eye's ability to accommodate?
• Name one drug that enhances accommodation and one that inhibits it.

Related terms

Ciliary Muscle: A circular muscle that contracts or relaxes to change lens shape for focusing.

Presbyopia:

An age-related condition where the eye exhibits diminished ability to focus on near objects due to decreased elasticity of the lens.

Pilocarpine:

A miotic drug used in ophthalmology that stimulates ciliary muscle contraction, enhancing accommodation.