If you have healthy and well-nourished eyes, thank the aqueous humour. Almost nobody talks much about this watery fluid and its contribution to maintaining good eye health is never praised enough. As the name suggests aqueous means relating to water and humor is a traditional Latin word that describes some bodily secretion.
Our eyes produce a tiny amount of aqueous humor all the time which drains out or flows from a small structure that we know as the trabecular meshwork. And that is proved by the American Academy of Ophthalmology. We can not see the aqueous humour but its resemblance is that of blood plasma in composition.
The aqueous humour looks very much like plasma and is a thin and transparent fluid. Its home is between the cornea and the lens. It is made up of water (99.9%) it is pure water, and necessary nutrients (0.1%), all of which are necessary for healthy eyes.
We know eyes have three chambers of the eye: the anterior chamber, and the posterior chamber. While the vitreous chamber sits in the back of the eye, the anterior lies between the cornea and the iris. The frontal part, the space between the iris and lens has the posterior chamber. The aqueous humour is spread evenly in the first two chambers.
Do you ever think how well nourished your eyes are and that’s because the aqueous humour is doing that for you? Let’s look at some of the amazing work this fluid does for our eyes:
We know that aqueous humour has a responsibility to maintain the pressure and the shape of the eye. But how is the pressure maintained? It is possible only when the aqueous fluid enters and leaves the eye in the same amount. The aqueous humour supplies all the necessary nutrients to the structures in the eye that do not get a direct blood supply, including the lens. It also drains waste from these structures.
Without being too technical or making it hard for you, the aqueous humour is produced by the ciliary body at all times. This is located in the anterior chamber near the lens. As mentioned above, the work balance is maintained by an equal rate of production and drainage.
It is necessary to know that even a small difference in the production or outflow of the aqueous humour can have a huge impact on your intraocular pressure. An eye’s quality of image may significantly decrease. An increase in intraocular pressure means a person can suffer from glaucoma (vision loss).
The best way to keep the aqueous humour healthy is by taking care of the eyes in general. While there is no direct way to take care of the aqueous humor, some important ways are mentioned below:
Normally, a person must have their eyes tested every 1-2 years. That however differs according to specific people, their present health conditions, and what their eye doctor has recommended.
Harvard Health states that vitamins, A, C, E, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids will promote good eye health.
Age does not decrease the quality of the aqueous humour’s health. However, the trabecular meshwork which drains the aqueous humour may be affected by age.
Age can increase the accumulation of extracellular material in the trabecular meshwork and ciliary muscle. And that can hamper (decrease) the drainage of aqueous fluid from the eye, which is again very bad for the eye. This can probably increase the pressure of the eye and the person can even be prone to glaucoma.
One of the biggest problems when the regulation of aqueous humour goes berserk is Glaucoma. If this fluid does not drain properly, it can press upon and damage the optic nerve leading to blindness. Increased Ocular pressure causes optic nerve damage.
Surgery — An operation can help the eye pressure, an effective way to cut back high pressure and prevent it switching into, alternatively boost within conclusion results. Trabeculectomy — This surgery is to let the aqueous humour drain out of your eye and bring down its pressure.
This surgery makes a hole in the top of your eye to let out fluids. Besides that, a person might go for laser or eye drops recommended by the doctors instead.
The poor drainage problem of the aqueous humour is often due to the trabecular meshwork. This is a spongy tissue that lies near the cornea, where the aqueous humour drains out. The trabecular meshwork problems are often related to age.
With age, a person’s eyes may accumulate extracellular material in the trabecular meshwork. That affects the drainage of the aqueous humour. That said, the problem might also be seen in younger patients. If a person is born with abnormal development of the meshwork, it leads to issues with the drainage of the aqueous humour.
That said, their roles and locations within the ocular structure are totally different. Here are some of their main differences:
| Feature | Aqueous Humour | Vitreous Humour |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Lies in the front part of the eye, between the cornea and the lens | Lies in the rear part of the eye, between the retina and the lens |
| Consistency | It has a water-like consistency | It has a gel-like consistency |
| Function | Nourishes the cornea and lens and maintains intraocular pressure | Takes care of the shape of the eye and helps focus light |
| Production | It is produced and drained all the time | It is relatively static |
Aqueous humour is one of the most important components to ensure good eye health. This silent hero does its work without being seen. Continuous production and drainage of the aqueous humour is necessary to maintain the proper shape and size of the eyes. Most importantly, its proper functioning is also essential to give a good vision. Let Vision Concern help you with any queries that you have in mind related to aqueous humour or things related to it.
Ans: The Aqueous Humour present in the eye resembles blood plasma in composition. However, the protein and glucose are lesser and there is more lactic acid and ascorbic acid. The humour provides essential nutrients and oxygen to the eye tissues which do not get direct blood supply like the lens. It is also responsible for removing its waste products.
Ans: Yes, a tonometry test can give you an update about the health of the aqueous humour since it measures eye pressure. The test will show how well the humour is doing its work of maintaining eye pressure which is its job. This test does its work by flattening the cornea. The tougher it is to flatten the cornea or the more resistant it feels, the harder the pressure.
Ans: Aqueous humour is produced by the ciliary body in the posterior chamber at a rate of about 2 microliter/ hr. Aqueous turnover in the eye is approximately 1.5-2 hours Equal production and drainage of the aqueous humour exists in healthy eyes.
Yes, we provide emergency eye care for conditions like eye injuries, sudden vision loss, and infections. If you experience any urgent eye problems, please contact us immediately, and our team will assist you in getting the care you need.
Signs to watch for include blurry vision, floaters, sudden loss of vision, eye pain, redness, or sensitivity to light. If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important to schedule an eye exam at Vision Concern Eye Clinic as soon as possible for early diagnosis and treatment.
If you’re experiencing blurred vision, headaches, or eye strain, it may be a sign that you need glasses or contact lenses. Our eye exams will help determine whether you need corrective lenses. We’ll also discuss your options based on your lifestyle and preferences, including glasses, contacts, or even refractive surgery like LASIK.
