The picture from Wednesday was an eye. I added some labels to this version. This is a cross section from a mouse eye. Many feel that eyes are the window to the soul. The opthamologist sees an eye as a window to the body. Disease in the body can often show signs in the eye. The vessels in the back of the eye can give us clues about systemic disease. I look at an eye and am amazed at the precision required in order to allow us to look at the morning paper (or websites). Many things have to be perfectly aligned and working in concert in order for you and I to look out on the world.

The biggest structure in the picture is the lens and quite a unique structure. We notice it when something goes wrong such as cataracts. Cataracts form when the lens fibers are disrupted from their highly organized form. An example is when folks with diabetes have high glucose levels. Enzymes in the eye change glucose to another sugar which is trapped in the lens. This increased sugar concentration pulls more water into the lens. The water separates lens fibers and results in a cataract.

Another example of changes in the lens is the decreased flexibility that comes with age. We notice this as we loose the ability to focus on close objects and often results in complaints about the size of print and the length of our arms.

I'll take a better picture of the retina some time. Another amazing tissue and cool looking up close. Have a good weekend.