ECTS credits ECTS credits: 6
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Student's work ECTS: 99 Hours of tutorials: 3 Expository Class: 24 Interactive Classroom: 24 Total: 150
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary Degree Subject RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Physiology
Areas: Physiology
Center Faculty of Optics and Optometry
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
The objective is to understand the functional aspects of the sensorial physiology in general and in particular the eyeball, its annexes, the central visual pathways and the role that the visual system plays in other functions of the organism.
1.-EYELIDS. Eyebrows and eyelashes. Secretions of the eyelids. Normal movements of the eyelids. Neural pathways for the movements of the eyelids. Associated movements of the eyelids.
2.-LACRIMAL APPARATUS. Lacrimal gland. Innervation. Precorneal tear film. Regulation of the lacrimal secretion. Lacrimal hypersecretion and hyposecretion. Elimination of tears. Tests of lacrimal secretion.
3.-CORNEA. Structure of the cornea. Optical properties of the cornea. Metabolism of the cornea. Physiology of the epithelium, stroma and corneal endothelium. Ion transport across the cellular membrane. Glycoproteins.
4.-CRYSTALLINE LENSES. Structure of lens. Optical properties of the lens. Metabolism and physiology of the lens. Cataract. Accommodation: ciliary muscle. Physiology of the accommodation. Presbyopia.
5.- AQUEOUS HUMOUR. Ciliary epithelium. Blood-aqueous barrier. Formation of the aqueous humour. Composition of the aqueous humour. Substance exchange with the aqueous humour.
6.- INTRAOCULAR PRESSURE. Outflow of the aqueous humour. Trabecular flow. Uveoscleral flow. Effect of the venous pressure on intraocular pressure. Variations of the intraocular pressure. Measurement of intraocular pressure. Drugs effects on intraocular pressure.
7.- OCULAR BLOOD CIRCULATION. Microscopic structure and blood-ocular barriers. Control of circulation. Perfusion pressure. Drugs effect on blood flow. Transport through the blood-ocular barriers. Choroids. Functions of choroids.
8.- PUPIL. Structure of the iris. Pupil reaction to light: pupilar reflex. Accommodation: constrictor and dilator muscles, contraction and its modulation. Central pathways involved in pupil reflect. Drugs that affect the pupil.
9.- VITREOUS HUMOUR. Anatomical structure of the vitreous humour. Molecular structure of the vitreous humour. Physical properties of the vitreous humour. Changes in volume of the vitreous humour. Chemical composition of the vitreous humour. Metabolism of the vitreous humour. Substitutes.
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10.- EYE MOVEMENTS: Physiology of muscle contraction. Extraocular muscles and their actions. Mechanics of eye movements. Types of eye movements. Nervous control of eye movements.
11.-RETINA: Sensory properties of the visual system. Photoreception. Structural and functional architecture of the retina: processing of visual information in the retina.
12.- OPTIC NERVE. Axons, oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells, astrocytes. Irrigation. Synaptic transmission in the retinal ganglion cells. Excitotoxicity. Axonal conduction. Axonal projections of the optic nerve.
13.- CENTRAL VISUAL PROCESSING. Transmission of visual information by the retinal ganglion cells. Visual processing in the Lateral Geniculate Body and in the visual cortex. Perception of shape and movement.
Adler’s Physiology of the Eye. Edited by William M. Hart. Editorial Mosby Year Book.
Physiology of the Eye. Edited by Hugh Davson. Editorial MacMillan Academic and Professional.
Principles of Neuroscience. Edited by E. R. Kandel, J. H. Schwartz, T. M. Jessell. Editorial McGraw Hill.
Complementary bibliography
The Eye. Basic Sciences in Practice. Edited by J. V. Forrester, A. D. Dick, P. G. McMenamin, W. R. Lee. Editorial W. B. Saunders.
Fundamental Neuroscience. Edited by L. R. Squire et al. Editorial Elsevier.
Textbook of Medical Physiology. Edited by A. C. Guyton. Editorial Elsevier
General competences
Know the sensory physiology in general, and the visual system in particular
The students will increase their capacity of analysis and synthesis to solve specific physiological problems.
The student must understand and know the functioning of the different sensory systems (excluding the auditory system that will be studied as an independent subject) and summarize the mechanisms common to all of them and specific to each one in particular; including the mechanisms of the different types of peripheral receptors, the initial phenomena of peripheral transduction and integration (in the case of vision), conduction, and the processing and integration of the information at the central level.
The student will understand the functioning of the different components of the eyeball, the eyelids, the ocular blood circulation, the lacrimal secretion etc.
That students have demonstrated to possess and understand knowledge in an area of study that starts from the base of general secondary education, and is usually found at a level that, although supported by advanced textbooks, also includes some aspects that imply knowledge coming from the vanguard of their field of study.
Basic competences
BC1. That students know how to apply their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional manner and possess the skills that are usually demonstrated through the elaboration and defence of arguments and the resolution of problems within their area of study.
BC2. That students have the ability to gather and interpret relevant data (usually within their area of study) to make judgments that include a reflection on relevant issues of social, scientific or ethical nature.
BC3. That students can transmit information, ideas, problems and solutions to a specialized and non-specialized public.
BC4. That the students have developed those learning skills necessary to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.
Transversal competences
TC1-Acquire analysis and synthesis skills
TC2-Acquire organizational and planning skills
TC3-Acquire knowledge of a foreign language
TC4-Acquire computer skills related to the field of study
TC5- That they acquire information management skills.
TC6-That they acquire the capacity for problem-solving.
TC7-That they know how to work as a team.
TC8-That they acquire skills in interpersonal relationships.
TC9-That the student acquires skills for issuing critical reasoning.
TC10-That the student maintains an ethical commitment.
TC11-That the student is able to carry out autonomous learning.
TC12-That they are able to adapt to new situations.
Specific competences
SC1- That the student be able to reflect critically on clinical, scientific, ethical and social issues involved in the professional practice of Optometry, understanding the scientific foundations of Optics-Optometry and learning to critically evaluate terminology, clinical trials and research methodology related to Optics-Optometry.
SC2- That the student be able to issue opinions, reports and expert opinions when necessary.
SC3 - That the student can assess and incorporate the technological advances necessary for the proper development of their professional activity.
SC4 - That the student can expand and update their capacities for professional practice through continuous training.
SC5 - That the student knows how to situate the new information and the interpretation of it in its context.
In person course: physical class attendance, 3 times per week, during the second semester. In the theoretical lessons, student participation will be encouraged, as well as their critical spirit.
Practical / Seminars / Interactive Classes: These classes will be compulsory.
These evaluation criteria will be valid for the ordinary semester and extraordinary recovery opportunities.
The Ocular Physiology exam will be carried out on a date and time previously established by the Faculty of Optics and Optometry.
The final exam will be done by physical attendance. It will consist in a test. The exam will constitute 80% of the final grade. It will be necessary to obtain 60% of total successes in the exam in order to sum the scores obtained in the continuous evaluation.
Attendance to the in person classes and participation in the academic activities proposed will sum up 20% of the final grade, provided that the minimum required in the final exam is reached.
Student personal work (study, recommended readings, attendance at recommended talks).
• Individual study time or in the group: 60 hours
• Recommended reading, activities into the library or similar: 10 hours
• Oral talks or similar: 10 hours
• Assistance to lectures, expositions or recommended activities: 5 hours
• Total hours student´s individual work: 90 hours
• Assistance to lectures
• To check the recommended bibliography in the library
• Make use of the tutoring hours.
Tutoring hours:
Students can request tutoring hours by previously contacting the professors during the in person classes or via email.
In cases of fraudulent performance of exercises or tests, the provisions of the Regulations for the evaluation of student academic performance and review of grades will apply.
Alba Vieites Prado
Coordinador/a- Department
- Physiology
- Area
- Physiology
- alba.vieites.prado [at] usc.es
- Category
- Researcher: Ramón y Cajal
| Tuesday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00-13:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 3 |
| Wednesday | |||
| 11:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom 3 |
| 05.22.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 1 |
| 05.22.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 2 |
| 07.08.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 1 |
| 07.08.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom 2 |