21st February 2024

Anterior Chamber of The Eye

The anterior chamber is a space located between the cornea and the iris. The anterior chamber’s size varies from person to person but is typically around 3 mm in depth. It plays a crucial role in maintaining the eye’s shape and intraocular pressure. The aqueous humour is a clear, watery fluid that circulates through the anterior chamber. It nourishes the cornea and lens, provides nutrients to the avascular tissues, and helps maintain the eye’s shape.

Production and drainage of Aqueous Humour

Image Source: Aqueous humor pathway, Licensed under a creative commons licence. Available for free at: https://openclipart.org/detail/276637/aqueous-humor-pathway (Accessed: 28 September 2023).

The aqueous humour undergoes a continuous cycle of production and drainage within the anterior chamber. Aqueous humour is produced by the ciliary processes of the ciliary body located behind the iris. The ciliary body secretes aqueous humour into the posterior chamber, and it then flows into the anterior chamber through the pupil.

Aqueous humour drains from the anterior chamber through the trabecular meshwork, a specialised drainage system located in the angle between the cornea and the iris. From there, it enters Schlemm’s canal and eventually reaches the bloodstream.

The aqueous humour delivers nutrients and oxygen to the avascular structures of the cornea and lens. The balance between aqueous humour production and drainage helps maintain a stable intraocular pressure within the eye. Abnormal pressure can lead to glaucoma.