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Aqueous humour
PHYSIOLOGY

WRITTEN BY: David M. Gamm, Daniel M. Albert

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Alternative Title: aqueous humor

Aqueous humour, optically clear, slightly alkaline liquid that occupies the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye (the
space in front of the iris and lens and the ringlike space encircling the lens). The aqueous humour resembles blood plasma in
composition but contains less protein and glucose and more lactic acid and ascorbic acid. It provides these nutrients (as well
as oxygen) to eye tissues that lack a direct blood supply (such as the lens) and also removes their waste products. In addition,
it provides an internal pressure, known as intraocular pressure, that keeps the eyeball (globe) properly formed. Aqueous
humour is formed from the blood by filtration, secretion, and diffusion through the ciliary body, a muscular structure located
behind the iris that controls the curvature of the lens. Aqueous humour leaves the eye through the porous trabecular
meshwork and flows into Schlemm’s canal, a ringlike passageway around the outer angle of the anterior chamber in front of
the iris. From the canal the liquid enters the veins.

READ MORE ON THIS TOPIC

human eye: The aqueous humour

The aqueous humour is a clear colourless fluid with a chemical composition rather similar to that of blood plasma (the blood
exclusive of its cells) but lacking the high protein content of the latter. Its main function is to keep the globe reasonably…

When the aqueous humour does not adequately drain from the eye, intraocular pressure can rise and loss of vision can result.
Elevated eye pressures can contribute to the onset of many types of glaucoma, a common vision-threatening group of
diseases. Therapies for glaucoma are aimed at lowering eye pressure by increasing the outflow of aqueous humour from the
eye and decreasing its production by the ciliary body. Two types of surgery that increase outflow of fluid from the eye include
trabeculoplasty, a type of laser surgery that increases the permeability of the trabecular meshwork, and trabeculectomy (also
called filtering microsurgery). Trabeculectomy diverts aqueous humour from the anterior chamber inside the eye to the
space under the conjunctiva (the transparent skin that covers the white area, or sclera, of the eye).

Daniel M. Albert

David M. Gamm

LEARN MORE in these related Britannica articles:

human eye: The aqueous humour

The aqueous humour is a clear colourless fluid with a chemical composition rather similar to that of blood plasma (the
blood exclusive of its cells) but lacking the high protein content of the latter. Its main function is to keep the globe
reasonably…
 eye disease: The uveal tract

…also functions by forming the aqueous humour, the production and drainage of which regulate intraocular pressure.
The aqueous humour also is the source of nutrition to the lens and cornea, which are avascular (without blood vessels).…

eye disease: Glaucoma

…which secretes sufficient amounts of aqueous humour fluid to maintain the pressure of the eye at a level above
atmospheric pressure. Aqueous humour is constantly being formed and drains away at the base of the iris through
specialized drainage channels. Should these channels become blocked, the pressure within the eye…

iris

Iris, in anatomy, the pigmented muscular curtain near the front of the eye, between the cornea and the lens, that is
perforated by an opening called the pupil. The iris is located in front of the lens and ciliary body and behind the cornea.
It is bathed in front and…

lens

Lens, in anatomy, a nearly transparent biconvex structure suspended behind the iris of the eye, the sole function of which is to focus
light rays onto the retina. The lens is made up of unusual elongated cells that have no blood supply but obtain nutrients from the
surrounding fluids, mainly…

ADDITIONAL MEDIA

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MORE ABOUT Aqueous humour

3 REFERENCES FOUND IN BRITANNICA ARTICLES

Assorted References

eye anatomy
(In human eye: The aqueous humour)

eye diseases and disorders

(In eye disease: The uveal tract)

(In eye disease: Glaucoma)

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