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A-Z Glossary

Table of Contents

Aqueous Humor

Vasudha Rao
Written byVasudha Rao
Vasudha Rao
Vasudha Rao4th Year Optometry Student, UC BerkeleyBerkeley, CA

Bio

Vasudha Rao is a fourth-year optometry student at the UC Berkeley School of Optometry with aspirations of specializing in ocular disease or community care. She is currently on clinical rotations. She enjoyed serving veterans at the Miami Veterans Affairs Hospital and learning from renowned clinicians at the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute as a part of her clinical training. Vasudha is passionate about helping underserved communities receive optometric care, and actively volunteers to provide vision screenings to those in need. In her spare time she enjoys partaking in a game of Scrabble, enhancing her cooking skills, and sharing her clinical cases on her Instagram page @visions.of.vasudha.

  • Last updated February 6, 2023

What is Aqueous Humor?

Aqueous humor is the fluid that fills up the front of the eye. It is a clear fluid that keeps the eye nourished and inflated. Aqueous humor is made up almost entirely of water, but also contains nutrients such as vitamins and proteins. Aqueous fluid is located between the crystalline lens and cornea of the eye. The structure which produces the aqueous humor is known as the ciliary body. A high amount of aqueous humor can cause high pressure inside of the eye and lead to glaucoma, an eye disease. Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops or surgeries to lower the eye pressure. Eye drops such as timolol and dorzolamide treat glaucoma by lowering the amount of Aqueous humor fluid in the eye. 

Key Takeaways 

  • Aqueous humor is a clear fluid that functions to keep the eye nourished and inflated.
  • Too much aqueous humor can increase the eye’s pressure and lead to glaucoma, an eye disease.
  • Eye drops can be used to lower the amount of aqueous fluid in the eye and treat glaucoma.
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Understanding Aqueous Humor

Aqueous humor is the clear fluid that fills the front of the eye. The aqueous humor provides nutrition to the structures inside of the eye. As its name suggests, the aqueous humor is made up of 99% water. It also has vitamins, sugars, and nutrients. The fluid is located in the anterior chamber of the eye, between the lens and the cornea. Another type of humor in the eye is vitreous humor. The vitreous humor is located within the back of the eye and is less watery. Aqueous humor is important to eye health and function, but too much of it can cause an eye disease known as glaucoma. 

Function of Aqueous Humor

The structures within the front of the eye are dependent on the aqueous humor to stay healthy. Functions of the aqueous humor include:

  • Provide structural support and keep the eye inflated
  • Provide nutrients and oxygen to the cornea and lens
  • Remove waste products such as blood from the cornea and lens
  • Maintain a normal eye pressure

Anatomy of Aqueous Humor

The aqueous humor is located in the front of the eye, within a compartment known as the anterior chamber. The fluid is mostly water but its pH is slightly alkaline or basic. It circulates between the clear cornea and the crystalline lens. Aqueous humor is produced by the cells of the ciliary body. It primarily drains outside of the eye through the trabecular meshwork and then into Schlemm’s canal. If these drainage structures are blocked, the aqueous humor can build up to unhealthy amounts. 

Aqueous Fluid and Glaucoma

The aqueous humor usually flows outside of the eye through a porous mesh-like channel known as the trabecular meshwork. If this channel is blocked, the aqueous humor can’t drain out of the eye, and the eye pressure becomes high. A high eye pressure is considered 22 and above. If the eye pressure remains elevated for a long time and over many years, it can lead to a condition known as glaucoma.

Glaucoma is an eye disease that is usually associated with high intraocular pressure, also known as eye pressure. Glaucoma causes damage to the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain. It is a slow-acting disease that causes damage to the eye over many years. It can eventually lead to loss of peripheral vision and a “tunnel vision” effect. It may also make the vision blurry. Damage to the eyes from glaucoma is irreversible, and the damaged optic nerve tissue cannot be recovered. However, eye drops and eye surgery can prevent further glaucoma damage. The main way to prevent glaucoma is by lowering the eye pressure.

Certain types of eye drops can lower the amount of aqueous fluid produced by the eye. This effectively lowers the eye pressure. Examples of drops that decrease aqueous fluid production include timolol, dorzolamide, and brinzolamide. An eye exam should be done every year to check for glaucoma, among other eye diseases.

Bibliography

  1. “Aqueous Humor.” American Academy of Ophthalmology, 28 Jan. 2019, www.aao.org/eye-health/anatomy/aqueous-humor.
  2. “Aqueous Humor Flow and Function.” BrightFocus Foundation, July 2015, www.brightfocus.org/glaucoma/infographic/aqueous-humor-flow-and-function.
  3. Sunderland, Daniel K., and Amit Sapra. “Physiology, Aqueous Humor Circulation.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2020, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553209/.

Related Terms

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Leber Congenital Amaurosis (LCA)

is a congenital retinal dystrophy resulting in nystagmus and significantly reduced vision

Accommodation Disorder

also known as accommodative dysfunction, is any problem with the focusing power of the eye

Deuteranopia

is a type of red-green color deficiency. Those with deuteranopia see things with more red color

Fluorescein

is an ophthalmic dye and chemical substance that enhances the visualization of the eye’s tissues

Periorbital Cellulitis

is a skin and soft tissue infection around the eye and is caused by Staph and Strep bacteria

Maculopathy

is any condition that damages the macula

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