Vascular layer of eyeball
Tunica vasculosa bulbi oculi
- Latin synonym: Uvea; Tunica media bulbi oculi
- Synonym: Uvea; Middle layer of eyeball
Definition
The vascular layer of eyeball (a.k.a. the uveal tract or uvea) is composed, from posterior to anterior, of the choroid, ciliary body, and iris.
The choroid forms the posterior part, lining the posterior five-sixths of the eyeball, and extends anteriorly up to the ora serrata of the retina.
Anterior to the choroid, the ciliary body serves as a transitional region, connecting the choroid with the peripheral margin of the iris.
The most anterior component, the iris, is a circular, contractile diaphragm situated behind the cornea, It contains a central opening or aperture, the pupil, which regulates the amount of light entering the eye.
References
Standring, S. (Ed.). (2015). Eye (Chapter 42). In Gray's anatomy: The anatomical basis of clinical practice (41st ed., pp. 686-706). Churchill Livingstone.
