Functions and pathologies of the anterior segment of the eye

10/06/2022

The front part of the eye is called the anterior segment. Its main function is to focus the rays of light that penetrate the eye on the retina. It encompasses the most superficial and transparent part of the eye, the cornea and the crystalline lens, our eye’s natural lens that helps us to focus objects.

The anterior segment has two spaces separated by the iris:

• The anterior chamber: between the cornea and the iris.
• The posterior chamber: between the iris and the front of the crystalline lens.

The aqueous humour is the fluid that fills these spaces inside the anterior segment and provides them with nutrients.

 The main conditions of the anterior segment are: 

• Dry eye syndrome
• Conjunctivitis 
• Refractive errors of the cornea (myopia, hypermetropia and astigmatism) and other more serious diseases such as keratoconus
• Glaucoma
• Cataracts