Development of Eye
(Embryology )
DR SHAHAB
Associate Professor
Anatomy KGMC
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this discussion you must be able to-
• Tell the sources of development of eye
• Tell the structures derived from each sources.
• Congenital defects of eye
on day 22 Development of eye begins
Components of eyeball are derived form:
a. Optic vesicle- Outgrowth form prosencephalon
b. Lens placode- specialized area of surface ectoderm
c. Mesoderm- surrounding optic vesicle.
Formation of Optic vesicle:
• Neural plate destined to form prosencephalon shows thickened area on each side that become
depressed to form optic sulcus
• Optic sulcus bulges outward to form optic vesicle.
• Proximal part of optic vesicle becomes constricted and elongated to from optic stalk
• As optic vesicle comes in contact with surface ectoderm, it
thickens and forms Lens placode— primordium of lens
• lens placode gets depressed to form lens pit.
--As the lens pit deepens its edges approach each other and fuse to
form lens vesicle, which gets cut off from the surfaceectoderm.
• While lens vesicle is being formed, optic vesicle invaginate to
form double-layered optic cup.
• Margins of the optic cup grow and enclose the lens vesicle.
Margin of the optic cup grow over upper & lateral side of lens & does not grow on the inferior aspect
forming choroidal (fetal) fissure that extend for some distance along inferior surface of optic stalk.
• Developing neural tube is surrounded by mesoderm, which condenses to form meninges.
• An extension of this mesoderm covers optic vesicle that differentiate to form:
Superficial fibrous layrer – dura mater &
Deeper vascular layer --- pai-arachnoid .
• Vascular mesoderm enters into the choroidal fissure & gets trapped in the optic vesicle & optic stalk.
• Vascular mesoderm forms hyaloid vessels (hyaloid artery and hyaloid vein)- supply to the layers of
optic cup, mesoderm in the optic cup, and lens vesicle.
• Distal parts of hyaloid vessels eventually degenerate whereas their proximal parts persist as
central artery and vein of retina.
Derivation of Various Parts of Eyeball
Lens: develops from lens vesicle—(surface ectoderm)
• Initially lens vesicle is lined by a single layer of cuboidal cells.
• Cells of anterior wall remain cuboidal that persist as epithelium.
• Cells of posterior wall - columnar & extend into the cavity causing obliteration of the cavity.
• Elongated cells of posterior wall further elongate considerably & lose their nuclei to form lens fibers.
• Lens is supplied by hyaloid artery—a branch of the ophthalmic artery. Later, distal part of hyaloid
artery disappears; blood supply to lens is stopped. Lens- avascular structure.
Retina: develops from optic cup which is divisible into:
a. Posterior part (Optical Part of Retina): forms
Ratina Proper
b. Anterior part (Ciliary & Iridal parts of ratina): forms
epithelial covering for ciliary body & iris
Thin Outer wall of posterior part forms:
pigment layer of the retina.
Thick Inner wall of cup forms: neural layer of the
retina. Inner wall differentiates into:
Matrix cell, Mental & Marginal layer
• Cells of matrix layer form: Rods & Cons
• Mental layer forms: Bipolar cells, Ganglionic cells
& other neuron of ratina,
• Marginal layer –
Axon of ganglionic cell grow into marginal layer
to form layers of nerve fibres that grow into the
optic stalk passing through choroidal fissure.
Optic stalk is thus converted into Optic nerve
• During embryonic & early fetal periods, pigment & neural layers of retina are separated by
intraretinal space- representing the original cavity of the optic cup.
• Before birth the space is obliterated with proliferation of cells of the inner layer. Thus, rod & cone cells
come in contact with pigment layer of the retina.
• Developing neural tube is surrounded by mesoderm, which condenses to form meninges.
• An extension of this mesoderm covers optic vesicle that differentiate to form:
Superficial fibrous layrer – dura mater &
Deeper vascular layer corresponding to pai-arachnoid .
Sclera and Choroid
Mesoderm around the optic cup differentiates into
(a) Outer fibrous layer -sclera.
(b) Inner vascular layer- choroid
Sclera is continuous
- Anteriorly with substantia propria of cornea,
- posteriorly with dura mater, that surrounds
optic nerve.
Choroid is continuous
- Anteriorly on each side with ciliary body
- Posteriorly with piaarachnoid around optic nerve.
Ciliary body & Iris: Derived form forward prolongation of mesoderm forming the choroid
Posterior surface of this mesoderm comes to be lined by rim of optic cup- projects towards the
lense forming cilary process.
Outer pigmented layer of ciliary epithelium - outer layer of optic
cup Inner nonpigmented layer of ciliary epithelium - Neural layer
Ciliary muscle & connective tissue are derived from mesoderm
Iris:
Epithelium of iris is derived from both layers of optic cup
Muscles of the iris (sphincter and dilator pupillae)-
Neuroectodermal cells of the optic cup
Vascular connective tissue of iris - derived from
mesoderm located anterior to the optic cup
Cornea: Development of cornea is induced by the lens vesicle.
The cornea is derived from following sources:
• Outer stratified squamous epithelium is derived from the surface ectoderm.
• Substantia propria of the cornea is derived from the mesoderm. It is continuous with sclera.
• Inner corneal epithelium is derived from the mesoderm.
Anterior and Posterior Chambers (Aquous chamberof the Eye):
• Mesoderm located between developing iris and cornea splits to form - anterior chamber.
• Mesoderm located between the developing iris and lens splits to form- posterior chamber
• Disappearance of pupillary membrane form a communication between anterior & posterior chamber.
• Anterior & Posterior chambers are filled by aqueous humor secreted by ciliary processes of ciliary
body.
• Aqueous humor is drained by sinus venosus sclerae (canal of Schlemm)
Vitreous Body (Vitreous Humor)
primary vitreous humor - is formed by neural crest (ectoderm)
secondary vitreous humor - inner layer of the optic cup (ectoderm) and a little bit from lens vesicle.
Vitreous body is made up of a vascular mass of transparent gel-like intracellular substance. It contains
hyaloid artery that later obliterates to form a hyaloid canal of adult eye
Mesodermal component comes into the optic cup through the choroidal fissure.
Blood vessels of the eyeball: formed in mesodermal layer that is continuation of the pia-arachnoid .
Mesoderm that gets invaginated into optic cup forms retinal vessels
Structure Source
Anterior epithelium of cornea Surface ectoderm
Substantia Propria Mesoderm
Posterior epithelium of cornea mesoderm
Sclera Mesoderm
Choroid Mesoderm
Ciliary body Mesodem
Stroma of Iris Mesoderm
Dilator & sphincter pupillae Optic cup (neuroectoderm)
Epithelium of Iris & ciliary body Rim of optic cup
Lens Surface ectoderm
Vitreous body Mesoderm
Neural layer of retina Inner layer of optic cup
Pigment layer of retina Outer layer of optic cup
Optic Nerve Optic stalk
Central artery & vein of retina Mesoderm
Accessory Structures of the Eyeball
Eyelids:
• Develop from reduplication of surface ectoderm above and below the cornea.
• Ectodermal folds contain a core of mesoderm- gives rise to muscles & tarsal plates.
• Upper & Lower folds grow -fuse with each other, enclosing a space - conjunctival sac. Thus conjunctiva
is of ectodermal origin.
• Eyelids remain fused with each other till 10th week and remain adhered to each other until 7 month of IUL.
• Eyelashes and glands develop from surface ectoderm covering the eyelids
Lacrimal Glands:
Develops from 15 to 20 buds that grow from the superolateral angle of the conjunctival sac.
Buds elongate and get canalized to form ducts that open in conjunctival sac.
Lacrimal Sac and Nasolacrimal Duct
Develop from the ectoderm of nasolacrimal/Naso-optic forrow
present along the line of fusion of maxillary &lateral nasal processes.
Lacrimal canaliculi develop from canalization of the ectodermal buds
that grow from medial ends of of each eyelid to the lacrimal sac.
Congenital anomalies of the eye :
1. Anophthalmia (absence of an eye): optic vesicle fails to form.
2. Microphthalmia (a small eye): optic vesicle is small; Lens is usually not formed.
3. Cyclopia: two eyes may fuse completely
4.Synopthalmos: two eyes may fuse partially to form one midline organ; Nose is usually absent at the
normal site but may be represented by a tubular appendage called proboscis above the median eye.
Congenital aphakia : absence of the lens of the eye.
occurs if lens placode fails to develop following failure of induction by optic vesicle
Coloboma of the iris: Congenital notch or cleft on the inferior aspect of the iris.
Occurs due to failure of choroid fissure to close.
Coloboma of eyelid: part of the eyelid is missing;
usually occurs as a small notch in the upper eyelid
Entropion and ectropion: lid margins are turned inward - entropion,
lid margins are turned outwards- ectropion.
Congenital ptosis: occurs if the levator palpebrae superioris muscle fails
to develop
Cryptophthalmos :congenital absence of the eyelids. eyeball is small, defective &is covered by the skin i.
Persistent pupillary membrane :
• Pupillary membrane persist as a whole or may persist in the form of few strands of connective tissue.
• It may obstruct the vision completely or partially
Anomalies of the lacrimal apparatus
(a) Lacrimal gland may be absent or nonfunctional.
(b) Absence of lacrimal passages in whole, in part, or atresia of some part.
(c) Supernumerary puncta or canaliculi.
(d) Presence of cysts in any part of the lacrimal apparatus, mostly close to the lacrimal puncta.
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