Physics of the eyes

The physics of the eye

Specific Objectives discuss how the eye
forms focused images
Calculations on power of objects at different
of correcting lens distances
required.
explain the terms
discuss the formation depth of focus,
of focused images in accommodation,
the simple camera and long sight, short
magnifying glass. sight, astigmatism,
cataracts, and
discuss how defects of
solve problems using
the eye can be
lens formulae; 1/u + corrected;
1/v = 1/f 2
LENSES
 Lenses
LensesREFRACTlightandareusuallyusedtoformIMAGES

convex 2types concave

biconvex planoconvex biconcave planoconcave

Lenses

A lens is an object usually made of glass, bound by one

or two spherical surfaces.

Lenses are typically either converging or diverging but

there can be variations in each category.
 Actual Drawas Actual Drawas

Inpractice,lightisrefractedatbothsurfacesofthelensbutfor
simplicitywedrawonlyonerefractionasifithappenedatthe
centreline
 Convex
FOCUS

axis
F

PARALLELrays
fromdistantobject focallength

Convexlensesbringtheraystogether(converge)atafocus.
ConvexlensesareCONVERGINGLENSES
 Concave
PARALLELrays
fromdistantobject

F F

FOCUS
(Virtual)
focallength
Concavelensesspreadtheraysout(diverge).
Theraysseemtocomefromavirtualfocusontheotherside.
ConcavelensesareDIVERGINGLENSES
Jumpbackto
Next raydiagrams
Raydiagrams
LightisreflectedoffALL
POINTSofanon
luminousobjectinLOTS
OFDIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS

Toworkoutwhatsortof
imagealenswillproduce,we
select2raysonlyfromthetop
pointoftheobject:
oneparalleltotheaxis
onetothecentreofthelens
 Ray Diagrams for Converging Lenses

Converging (convex) Lens:

Ray #1: Parallel to the axis

Refracts through F

Ray #2: Through F Refracts

parallel to axis

Ray #3: Through Centre of

lens undeflected
 RAYDIAGRAMS:RULES
OBJECT
(simplified)
Imagediagram
givespositionand
size

2F F F 2F

focallength

2xfocallength
1.Arayparalleltotheaxisisrefractedthroughthefocus
2.Araytothecentreofthelenspassesthroughundeflected
(3.Araythroughthefocusisrefractedparalleltotheaxis)
 RAYDIAGRAMS:IMAGES

IfimageLARGERthanobject:MAGNIFIEDIf
imageSMALLERthanobject:DIMINSHED
2F MAGNIFICATION=IMAGEHEIGHT
F F 2F
OBJECTHEIGHT
Thisis:
MAGNIFIED
INVERTED IfimageSAMEWAYUPasobject:UPRIGHTIf
REAL imageUPSIDEDOWN:INVERTED
Mag=1.25
Ifrayspassthroughobject:REAL
Ifraysonlyseemtocomefromobject(see
diverginglens):VIRTUAL
 1.OBJECTOUTSIDE2F
IMAGE:REAL,INVERTED,DIMINSHED

IMAGEPOSITION:betweenFand2F

Cameras,eyes
Backto
diagram
 1.OBJECTOUTSIDE2F

2F F F 2F

IMAGE:REAL,INVERTED,DIMINSHED
uses
IMAGEPOSITION:betweenFand2F
nextdiagram
Arrowkeytoanimateslide
Draw a ray diagram for a convex lens with a focal length of
5cm and an object that is 15cm away.

u v

Object distance (u) > 2f: Image is real, smaller, and inverted
 2.OBJECTAT2F
IMAGE:REAL,INVERTED,SAMESIZE

IMAGEPOSITION:at2F

Copyingcamera Backto
diagram
 2.OBJECTAT2F

2F F F 2F

IMAGE:REAL,INVERTED,SAMESIZE
uses
IMAGEPOSITION:at2F
nextdiagram
Arrowkeytoanimateslide
 Draw a ray diagram for a convex lens with a focal length of
5cm and an object that is 8cm away.

u v

Object between f and 2f: Image is real, larger, inverted

3.OBJECTBETWEENFAND2F
IMAGE:REAL,INVERTED,MAGNIFIED
IMAGEPOSITION:outside2F

Projectors
Backto
diagram
 3.OBJECTBETWEENFAND2F

2F F F 2F

IMAGE:REAL,INVERTED,MAGNIFIED
uses
IMAGEPOSITION:outside2F
nextdiagram
Arrowkeytoanimateslide
4.OBJECTATF
IMAGE:NOIMAGEFORMED(raysdontmeet)

IMAGEPOSITION:none(oratinfinity)

Searchlights Backto
diagram
 4.OBJECTATF

2F F F 2F

IMAGE:NOIMAGEFORMED(raysdontmeet)
uses
IMAGEPOSITION:none(oratinfinity)
nextdiagram
Arrowkeytoanimateslide
5.OBJECTINSIDEF
IMAGE:VIRTUAL,UPRIGHT,MAGNIFIED

IMAGEPOSITION:inside2F&SAMESIDEASOBJECT

Magnifying Backto
diagram
glass
 5.OBJECTINSIDEF
Arrowkeytoanimateslide

uses
*VIRTUALImage:
LightdoesNOT endshow
actuallypassthroughit
cannotbeprojected
ontoascreen

2F F F 2F

IMAGE:VIRTUAL*,UPRIGHT,MAGNIFIED

IMAGEPOSITION:inside2F&SAMESIDEASOBJECT
 Draw a ray diagram for a convex lens with a focal length of
5cm and an object that is 2cm away.

Object between f and mirror: Image virtual, larger, upright

v has a negative value
 1.Drawthefollowingongraphpaper
2cmlarge
square

2F F F 2F

2.Drawanobjectoutside2Fatthepositionshownandatthesizeshown
3.Applytheraydiagramrulesanddrawintheimage
Classifytheimagebyfillinginthetablebelow.Repeatforotherpositions
Objectpos. Imagepos. mag/dim upright/Inverted real/virtual Uses
outside2F
at2F
betweenF&
atF
2F
insideF
Converging lens : summary

When the object is

At distance 2f from the lens, image is real, inverted and the
same size
Between 2f and f, image is real, inverted and bigger than
object
Further than 2f, the image is real, inverted and smaller than
object
Nearer than f, image is upright, magnified and virtual
(magnifying glass)
 Object
IMAGETYPES
Image
Image Object

Image Image
DIMISHED MAGNIFIED
INVERTED UPRIGHT
REAL VIRTUAL

REALimagescanbePROJECTEDONASCREEN
VIRTUALimagescannotbeprojected
 Now, for Diverging lenses
For a Diverging Lens:

Ray #1: Parallel to the axis on the left

Refracts as if it came from F on the left

Ray #2: Heads toward F on the right

Refracts parallel to the axis on the right

Ray #3: Through the centre of the

lens undeflected
 6.CONCAVE(DIVERGING)LENS
uses

endshow

2F F F 2F
Sametype
ofimagefor
allobject
positions

IMAGE:VIRTUAL,UPRIGHT,DIMINSHED

IMAGEPOSITION:INSIDEFSAMESIDEASOBJECT
STOP
Arrowkeytoanimateslide
Draw a ray diagram for a concave lens with a focal length of
5cm and an object that is 8cm away.

No matter where the object is:

Image is always virtual, smaller and upright.
f has a negative value and v has a negative value
Diverging Lens: summary

The image is
always virtual
always (upright) erect
diminished
Lens equation and magnification
1 1 1

f v u

Therelationshipbetweentheobjectdistanceufromthelens,theimage
distancev,andthefocallengthf.

v
m Thelinear(transverse)magnificationmproducedbyalens
u isdefinedastheratioofheightofimage/heightofobject.
 Sign conventions for Lenses

Si v
1 1 =
+ 1 m=
= So u
f u v

Focal length (f) Object distance (u)

+ converging + object on the left
- diverging

Image distance (v) Magnification (m)

+ image on the right (real) + upright
- image on the left (virtual) - inverted
Example

Pg 450 Advanced level physics Nelkon

and Parker
An object is placed 12 cm from a converging lens of
focal length 18 cm. Find the position of the image.
converging lens, f = +18 cm
1 1 1
Real object, u = +12 cm
v u f

1 1 1 1

v 18 12 36 v 36cm
 1
Power of the lens P
f
Physics of the eye
The eyeball is a kind of camera but
Two lenses (cornea and eye lens)

Focusing by accommodation
Accommodationistheprocessbywhichthevertebrateeye
changesopticalpowertomaintainaclearimageorfocusonan
objectasitsdistancevaries.Thisabilityisduetocontractions
andrelaxationoftheciliarymusclesattachedtotheeyelens.

Relaxed=thineyelens
Taut=thickeyelens

Inhumansaccommodationupto15Dbutdecreaseswithage
Physics of the eye

Iris instead of diaphragm

Pupil is the adjustable hole

Inbrightlighteyepupilnarrowduetocontractionof
concentricfibresandrelaxationofradialfibres.

Indimlighteyepupilexpandsduetocontractionofradial
fibresandrelaxationofconcentricfibres(dilation)

Range:<1mmto10mm
 By the fifth decade of life the accommodative
amplitude has declined so that the near point of the
eye is more remote than the reading distance. When
this occurs the patient is presbyopic. Once presbyopia
occurs, those who are emmetropic (do not require
optical correction for distance vision) will need an
optical aid for near vision; those who are myopic
(nearsighted and require an optical correction for
distance vision), will find that they see better at near
without their distance correction; and those who are
hyperopic (farsighted) will find that they may need a
correction for both distance and near vision.
-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accommodation_%28eye%
29
Physics of the eye

Interior filled with liquids (humors)

the vitreous has a viscosity two to four times
that of pure water, giving it a gelatinous
consistency. It also has a refractive index of
1.336

Retina instead of CCD

Fovea, optic nerve & blind spot
Photoreceptors: rods and cones
Dark adaptation
Image processing
 Parts of the eye and the iris
Iris acts like diaphragm
in camera
Aperture of iris is called the
pupil
Iris and pupil are alive
Irises are as different as
fingerprints
Iris scans can be used for
identification (e.g., airport)
Your iris widens when the light
goes down and narrows when the
light is bright
The f-stop of the fully-opened iris
is between f/2 and f/3
Stopped down, it can reduce light
intensity by up to a factor of 20
However, the main function of the
iris is not to control the intensity
of light coming into your eye
The range of light intensities to
which eye responds varies by 1013
Main functions of iris
Reduce aberrations, sharpen
image.
Increase depth of field (e.g.
threading needle)
Parts of the human eye
 How and where is the image
produced in your eye?
Dual (compound) lens Corneadoesmostofraybending
system
Cornea (on outside) Retina
does most of the ray
bending because
speed of light is slow F1 F1'
inside cornea.
Eyelens does fine Final
image
tuning:
ison
speed of light inside retina
eyelens is not much
larger than in humors
which fill the inside of Eyelensbehindcorneadoesfinetuning;
the eyeball focusesbychangingits(long)focallength
Hence, not much ray-
bending is done by the
eyelens (it has a long,
adjustable focal length)
The image is focused
 The eye focuses in a different
manner from the camera
A camera is focused
by changing the
distance, xi, from the
lens to the image at
the back on the film
or CCD as the
distance to the object
changes.
A camera focuses on
an object any
distance xo from the
lens (of fixed focal
length) by changing
xi so that xi is a changes
changesasx o
solution
fixednumber to the lens
equation
varies
1/f = 1/xo + 1/xi
The eyelens is a fixed,
unchanging distance, xi,
from the retina at the
back of the eyeball
where the image is
created
As the object distance, xo,
changes, focus is
achieved by the eyelens
changing its focal length,
f, so that f is a solution to
the lens equation
This method of focusing is
called accomodation
1/f = 1/xo + 1/xi
varies fixednumber
Accommodation is achieved by the
eyelens' ability to change its focal length
by changing its bulge

Eyelens shape is changed

by ligaments. This
changes its focal length
Less bulge means less
bending power and longer largef
focal length
More bulge means more
bending power and
shorter focal length
Demonstration
smallerf
How and why your eyelens accommodates
to put images in focus

Your eyelens has a

small depth of field Note that you cannot
You can't see something
see both me and your
close and far with both
objects in focus at the thumb sharply (in
same time focus) at the same
Hold out your thumb time
You focus on one or the
about 15" just below
other by changing the
me bulge of your eyelens
Then, alternately focus
on thumb and me (right How do you focus?
above your thumb)
Do you feel your eyelens
changing its bulge?
 What does accommodation of the eye have to do with
looking at me or your thumb? How does it work?
(Lens represents combined cornea-eyelens system)
Thumbisoutoffocus

Focusingyoureyeonanearby
thumbrequiresshorterfocallength
(morebulgy)eyelensthanfocusing largef
ontheProffaraway,sinceraysmust
bebentmoreforimagetofallon Prof.isinfocus
retina.
Thumbisinfocus

smallerf

Profisoutoffocus
Human Eye: Review of what we
learned about the Human Eye
Try in home
When we are looking at objects, the
image is formed
 The retina is where the image falls
at the back of your eyeball
How are rods and cones
Image falls on retina instead
of CCD.
Rods & cones packed into
retina.
Sensitive to light like camera
film
Optic nerve
Nerve fibers connect rods &
cones to brain. (transform
light into electrical signals)
Blind spot is where optic
nerve leaves eyeball. Demo.
distributed in the retina? Fig.
5.12
The fovea is the small region
near the center of the retina
Used for sharp, detailed viewing.
Has the most cones (precise, color
vision)
Has no rods (used for low light,
less precise viewing).
Looking at someone means their
image is on your fovea
If their image is not on your fovea
you see them "out of the corner of
your eye."
Eyeball moves to see a sharp
image
It scans to make all parts of an
image eventually fall on your
fovea
Therearenolightdetectingrodsandconeswheretheopticnerve
leavestheeye.Thisiscalledtheblindspot.
 Adaptation of the rods and cones to
the dark: darkness adaptation
The retina is able to change its
sensitivity to light as the light
intensity varies by a factor up to
1013.
This is similar to a camera
(but the range is enormous)
After you walk into a dark movie
theater your eyes gradually
"adjust" to the darkness
because your rods and cones
can detect lower and lower
intensities as time goes on!
At any given time the
minimum light intensity you
can just barely see (called
your detection threshold) gets
lower and lower
How does the lowering of your
detection threshold work?
When you are outside the theater
you don't need to see very low light
levels. Your detection threshold is
high
Outside in the sun you are mainly
seeing by using your cones.
They enable you to see in full color.
This is called photoptic vision
After you enter the theater your
detection threshold gradually goes
down
After about 7 minutes you can no
longer see with your cones
You switch to rods, which are more
sensitive
Your rods don't allow you to see colors
This is called scotopic vision
Your rod sensitivity continues to
improve in the dark for another 25
minutes (detection threshold goes
down)
 Comparing eyes and camera
a diaphragm to control the amount of light that gets
through to the lens. This is the shutter in a camera,
and the pupil, at the center of the iris, in the human
eye.
a lens to focus the light and create an image. The
image is real and inverted.
a method of sensing the image. In a camera, film is
used to record the image; in the eye, the image is
focused on the retina, and a system of rods and cones
is the front end of an image-processing system that
converts the image to electrical impulses and sends
the information along the optic nerve to the brain.
 Defectsoftheeyes
ShortsightMyopia LongsightHyperopia

Eyelenstoo Eyelenstoo
strong: weak:spectacle
spectaclelens lensconverges
divergeslightto lighttobring
bringbackinto backintofocus
focus
Reference

New Understanding physics pages 368-393

Cape physics study guide pages 102-108