The power of accommodation of the eye refers to its ability to change the curvature of its lens to focus on objects at various distances. This adjustment alters the lens’s focal length, enabling clear vision of both near and distant objects. When viewing distant objects, the lens thins, increasing its focal length. Conversely, for closer objects, the lens thickens, decreasing the focal length, allowing for clear near vision.


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Understanding the Power of Accommodation

Definition and Basic Concept: The power of accommodation in the human eye is a crucial function that allows us to see objects at different distances clearly. This ability is primarily due to the flexibility of the eye’s lens, which can change its shape and curvature.

Mechanism of Accommodation

When the ciliary muscles surrounding the lens contract, they cause the lens to become thicker, decreasing its focal length. This process is essential for focusing on nearby objects. Conversely, when these muscles relax, the lens becomes thinner and its focal length increases, allowing us to focus on distant objects.

Biological Significance

This adaptive mechanism is vital for various daily activities, such as reading, driving, or observing distant landscapes. Without the power of accommodation, our vision would be limited to a fixed focal length, making it impossible to have a clear vision across different distances.

Age-Related Changes

As we age, the lens becomes less flexible, diminishing the eye’s power of accommodation. This condition, known as presbyopia, typically manifests in middle age, necessitating the use of reading glasses for close-up tasks.

Corrective Measures

For individuals with impaired accommodation, such as those with presbyopia or other refractive errors, corrective lenses (glasses or contact lenses) or surgical procedures can help restore clear vision at varying distances.

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The Marvel of Human Vision

The power of accommodation is a testament to the complexity and adaptability of the human eye, enabling us to experience the world in sharp, clear detail, both up close and afar. It’s a key aspect of our visual system that allows us to interact effectively with our environment.

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Questions of 10th Science Chapter 10 in Detail

What is meant by power of accommodation of the eye?
A person with a myopic eye cannot see objects beyond 1.2 m distinctly. What should be the type of the corrective lens used to restore proper vision?
What is the far point and near point of the human eye with normal vision?
A student has difficulty reading the blackboard while sitting in the last row. What could be the defect the child is suffering from? How can it be corrected?
A person needs a lens of power –5.5 dioptres for correcting his distant vision. For correcting his near vision he needs a lens of power +1.5 dioptre. What is the focal length of the lens required for correcting (i) distant vision, and (ii) near vision?
The far point of a myopic person is 80 cm in front of the eye. What is the nature and power of the lens required to correct the problem?
Make a diagram to show how hypermetropia is corrected. The near point of a hypermetropic eye is 1 m. What is the power of the lens required to correct this defect?
Why is a normal eye not able to see clearly the objects placed closer than 25 cm?
What happens to the image distance in the eye when we increase the distance of an object from the eye?
Why do stars twinkle?
Explain why the planets do not twinkle?
Why does the sky appear dark instead of blue to an astronaut?