AQA GCSE Biology (8461), Higher tier · Homeostasis and response › The human nervous system
Practise The eye. 12 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
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Name the part of the eye that carries impulses from the retina to the brain.
Optic nerve
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy5 marks
The eye is a sense organ containing receptors that are sensitive to light intensity and colour.
(a) Which part of the eye contains the light receptors? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
Cornea
Iris
Lens
Retina
(b) Name the part of the eye that carries impulses from the retina to the brain.[1]
(c) What is the function of the sclera?[1]
(d) What is the function of the iris?[1]
(e) What is the function of the cornea?[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Retina
(b)Answer: Optic nerve
optic nerve
(c)
a tough outer layer that protects the eye
(d)
it controls the size of the pupil / how much light enters the eye
(e)
it lets light into the eye and refracts it
Question 2Medium7 marks
The eye can focus on objects at different distances. This is called accommodation.
(a) Describe how the eye changes to focus on a near object.[3]
(b) Describe how the eye changes to focus on a distant object.[3]
(c) Explain why light must be focused on the retina for a person to see a clear image.[1]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
the ciliary muscles contract
the suspensory ligaments loosen / slacken
the lens becomes thicker / more rounded, so it refracts light more strongly
(b)
the ciliary muscles relax
the suspensory ligaments are pulled tight
the lens is pulled thin, so it refracts light only slightly
(c)
the light-sensitive receptors are in the retina
Question 3Hard3 marks
Short-sightedness (myopia) can be corrected using spectacles, contact lenses or laser eye surgery.
Evaluate these three methods of correcting short-sightedness.[3]
Show the answer and mark scheme
spectacles are simple, low-risk and easy to change if the person's eyesight changes, but can be less convenient, e.g. for sport
contact lenses give a wider field of clear vision and are less visible than spectacles, but they touch the eye directly, so carry a risk of eye infection or irritation and need careful cleaning
laser surgery can permanently correct the eyesight, avoiding the need for spectacles or contact lenses afterwards, but it is a surgical procedure with risks, e.g. infection, under- or over-correction, or dry eyes, and it cannot easily be reversed or adjusted if eyesight changes later
conclusion, e.g. spectacles or contact lenses are a lower-risk option, especially if eyesight may still be changing, while laser surgery may suit someone who wants a more permanent solution and accepts the surgical risks