Eagleview Eye Clinic

Tag ciliary body

REGIONS OF THE CILIARY BODY

The ciliary body is divided into two main regions:

1. Pars Plicata

  • Location: Anterior portion of the ciliary body, closer to the iris.
  • Structure: Contains ciliary processes, which are radial folds in the ciliary body.
  • Function: The ciliary processes produce aqueous humor, which nourishes the lens and cornea and maintains intraocular pressure.

2. Pars Plana

  • Location: Posterior portion of the ciliary body, closer to the ora serrata (the serrated junction between the retina and the ciliary body).
  • Structure: This region is relatively flat and smooth compared to the pars plicata.
  • Function: The pars plana does not produce aqueous humor. It is often used as a site for surgical access to the vitreous humor, such as in pars plana vitrectomy, because it is relatively avascular (fewer blood vessels) and less likely to cause damage to other structures.

These regions are anatomically and functionally distinct, with the pars plicata being crucial for aqueous humor production and the pars plana being useful for surgical access to the posterior segment of the eye.

CILIARY BODY

The ciliary body is a ring-shaped structure in the eye, located behind the iris. It’s a crucial part of the eye’s anatomy, responsible for:

  1. Aqueous humor production: The ciliary body produces the clear fluid (aqueous humor) that fills the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye.
  2. Lens accommodation: The ciliary muscles control the shape of the lens, allowing it to focus on near or far objects.
  3. Lens suspension: The ciliary body is connected to the lens via zonular fibers, which suspend the lens in place.

The ciliary body consists of two main parts:

  1. Ciliary muscles: These muscles contract and relax to change the lens shape for focusing.
  2. Ciliary processes: These are finger-like extensions that produce aqueous humor.

The ciliary body plays a vital role in maintaining the eye’s health and function, and any issues with it can lead to vision problems or eye diseases.