Computer Arts Tutorial

12/1/00 9:39 AM

Creating 3D eyes
One: The anatomy of the human eye

We don't need to recreate every little detail of a real eye, but we do need to incorporate the relevant attributes that create its appearance. Here you see a cutaway of the human eye and its main components, as defined below.

Cornea: A transparent external surface that covers both the pupil and the iris. This is the first and most powerful lens of the optical system of the eye, which transmits and focuses light into the eye. As you can see, the concave shape of the cornea enables it to grab light from a wider range, thereby extending our peripheral vision. The clear cornea is covered by a very thin layer called the conjunctiva. Iris: A coloured circular muscle that's beautifully pigmented, giving the eye its colour. This circular muscle helps regulate the amount of light that enters the eye by controlling the size of the pupil.

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Computer Arts Tutorial

12/1/00 9:39 AM

Pupil: This is of course a black-looking aperture, which allows light to enter the eye. The pupil determines how much light is let in, and changes its size accordingly. Lens: The transparent structure inside the eye, located behind the iris, that focuses light rays onto the retina. Ligaments called zonule fibres, which are attached to the anterior portion of the ciliary body, suspend the lens. The contraction or relaxation of these ligaments changes the shape of the lens; this process, known as accommodation, allows us to form a sharp image on the retina. Retina: The nerve layer which lines the back of the eye. The retina senses light and creates impulses that are sent through the optic nerve to the brain . Optic Nerve: The optic nerve carries the impulses formed by the retina to the brain, which interprets them as images. The nerve is a circular to oval white area, measuring about 2x1.5 mm across.The major blood vessels of the retina radiate from the centre of the optic nerve. Macula: A small area in the retina which contains special light-sensitive cells. The macula allows us to see fine details clearly. Vitreous: The clear, jelly-like substance which fills the middle of the eye. Sclera: The 'white of the eye', which forms part of the supporting wall of the eyeball. The sclera is continuous with the cornea. Furthermore, this external covering of the eye is in continuity with the dura of the central nervous system. The wall of the eyeball is actually a three-layered sandwich. The external layer is formed by the pale, tough sclera and the cornea, which is the clear layer over the iris. The intermediate layer is divided into two parts: the anterior (iris and ciliary body) and posterior choroid (not pictured) - dark, spongy, and rich in blood vessels. Finally, the internal layer is the retina. This small area within the eye detects an incredibly detailed full-colour view of the world. Fluid Chamber: There are three chambers of fluid: Anterior chamber (between the cornea and iris), Posterior chamber (between the iris, zonule fibres and lens) and the Vitreous chamber (between the lens and the retina). The first two chambers are filled with aqueous humour, whereas the vitreous chamber is filled with a more viscous fluid, this is called the vitreous humour.

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