Short, hand-drawn animations that show how the eye works and what goes wrong. Each one plays as you scroll to it, and links to the full explanation.
The eye
A cross-section of the eye, from the lens and pupil at the front to the retina, optic disc, and vitreous gel behind.
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A tear in the retina and the shower of pigment it releases.
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Laser retinopexy seals the retina back down around the tear.
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How fluid tracks under the retina and lifts it away.
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The vitreous gel peeling away from the retina with age.
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Why traction on the retina is seen as arcs of light.
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A shimmering zigzag in the same place in both eyes.
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A brief arc of light in one eye, often in the dark.
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Pigment cells in the vitreous, a sign of a retinal tear.
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Why a floater is a drifting shadow, not an object in front of you.
Read the full page →Watery eyes
The tear drainage system, from the eye down into the nose.
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How a dry surface triggers a reflex flood of tears.
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How the excess skin of a heavy upper lid is measured and removed.
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