What is Vitreous Humor?

• A. the clear fluid filling the space in the front of the eyeball between the lens and the cornea
• B. the tough, white outer coat of the eyeball
• C. light sensitive cells that respond to color
• D. the transparent jellylike tissue filling the eyeball behind the lens

Answer: (D)

Vitreous humor is the clear jelly-like substance that fills the large cavity behind the lens in the eyeball. It helps keep the eyeball’s shape and provides a nearly unimpeded path for light to reach the retina. This is different from the aqueous humor, which is the fluid in the front part of the eye between the cornea and the lens; the white outer coat is the sclera; and the light-sensitive cells are the rods and cones in the retina. So the description of a transparent jelly-like tissue filling the eyeball behind the lens matches the vitreous humor.