What is the name of the process when the shape of the lens is made thicker or thinner to help your eye focus on objects at different distances?
A photophobia
B accommodation
C visual acuity
D glaucom
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is B. accommodation.
Accommodation refers to the process by which the eye’s lens changes its shape to focus on objects at varying distances. This ability is controlled by the ciliary muscles surrounding the lens. When an object is close to the eye, the ciliary muscles contract, causing the lens to become thicker and rounder. This increases its focusing power, allowing the eye to focus on near objects. Conversely, when an object is farther away, the ciliary muscles relax, causing the lens to flatten and decrease its focusing power, allowing the eye to focus on distant objects.
The process of accommodation is crucial for clear vision, as it enables individuals to shift focus between near and distant objects without the need for external adjustments. This ability is particularly important in activities like reading, driving, or simply navigating the environment, where objects at varying distances must be seen clearly.
As people age, the lens becomes less flexible, and accommodation may become less effective. This condition, known as presbyopia, typically begins around the age of 40 and can result in difficulty focusing on close objects, often requiring corrective lenses such as reading glasses.
Other terms in the question, such as photophobia (A), refer to sensitivity to light, visual acuity (C) measures the sharpness of vision, and glaucoma (D) is a condition that damages the optic nerve, often due to increased pressure in the eye, but none of these describe the process of changing the shape of the lens to focus on objects at different distances.