Illinois Vision Certification Practice Test

Which component of the eye is responsible for bending light towards the retina?

1. Cornea

2. Iris

3. Lens

4. Vitreous humor

The correct answer is: Lens

The lens is the component of the eye responsible for bending light towards the retina. It is a flexible, transparent structure located directly behind the iris and pupil. The lens adjusts its shape to focus light rays that come from different distances, allowing for clear vision of both nearby and faraway objects. This process is known as accommodation. When light passes through the lens, it is refracted or bent, directing the light onto the retina where the image is formed. While the cornea also plays a critical role in focusing light, it does so primarily at the initial entry point of light into the eye. The iris, on the other hand, regulates the amount of light that enters the eye by adjusting the size of the pupil, and the vitreous humor is a gel-like substance that helps maintain the shape of the eyeball and supports the retina but does not actively contribute to the bending of light. Thus, the lens is the correct answer for its specific function in focusing light toward the retina.