The anterior chamber is the space in the eye between the cornea and iris filled with aqueous humor. It is approximately 3mm deep and contains 0.25ml of fluid. The anterior chamber depth is determined by the lens and becomes shallower with age and in hyperopic eyes. Structures in the anterior chamber include Schwalbe's line, the trabecular meshwork, Schlemm's canal, the aqueous humor, and the anterior part of the ciliary body. The trabecular meshwork drains aqueous humor into Schlemm's canal, where it is then drained into blood vessels. Blockage of Schlemm's canal can lead to increased pressure and glaucoma.

1. The anterior chamber
Dr. Ibrahim taha

2. Anterior chamber (AC)
 Anterior chamber (AC) is an angular space.
It is the space formed:
 Anteriorly by the posterior surface of cornea
 Posteriorly by the lens, anterior surface of iris and a part of
cilary body

3. Anterior chamber

4. • Anterior chamber is 3mm deep
and it contains 0.25ml of
aqueous humour.
• Anterior chamber depth is
shallower in the hypermetropic
eye than the myopic eye.
• It is also shallower in children
and older people.
• Chamber depth decreases by
0.01mm/year of life

5. • Chamber depth is slightly diminished during accommodation,
partly by increased lens curvature and partly by forward
translocation of lens.

6. Structures in the AC angle
• Schwalbe’s line
• Trabecular Meshwork
• Schlemm’s canal
• Aqueous humour
• Scleral spur
• Anterior part of ciliary body
• Iris root

7. Structures in the AC

8. Schwalbe’s Line
• This marks the anterior border of angle and
represents termination of descemet’s membrane.
• Seen as white line in gonioscopy.

9. Schwalbe’s Line
• Schwalbe’s line marks transition from
Termination of the Decemet’s membrane.
Insertion of trabecular meshwork into corneal stroma.

10. Schwalbe’s Line

11. Schwalbe’s Line

12. The trabecular meshwork
• It is a spongy like structure made
up of connective tissue lined by
trabeculocytes.
• Its main function is in drainage of
aqueous humour.

13. The trabecular meshwork

14. The trabecular meshwork

15. • The meshwork is roughly triangular in cross section;
- Apex is at the Schwalbe’s line-
- Base is formed by the scleral spur and ciliary body.

16. SCHLEMM’S CANAL
• Schlemm’s canal is a circular lymphatic
like vessel in the eye that collects
aqueous humour from the anterior
chamber and delivers it into the
episcleral blood vessels via aqueous
veins.

17. SCHLEMM’S CANAL, if blocked, what will happen?
• If the canal is blocked, the pressure in the eye can
increase, resulting in glaucoma. Glaucoma is a condition
that causes damage to the eye's optic nerve.

18. SCHLEMM’S CANAL

19. SCHLEMM’S CANAL

20. THE AQUEOUS HUMOUR
• The aqueous humour is a transparent water-like fluid similar
to plasma, but containing low protein concentrations.
• The ciliary body constantly produces a small amount of
aqueous humour while an equal amount flows out through the
trabecular meshwork in the drainage angle or the
uveoscleral outflow pathways.
• It fills both the anterior and the posterior chambers of the eye.

21. THE AQUEOUS HUMOUR

22. THE AQUEOUS HUMOUR

23. THE AQUEOUS HUMOUR

24. THE AQUEOUS HUMOUR
• The high aqueous humour pressure is related to elevated Intra-
ocular pressure (IOP) which could result to glaucoma