The anterior chamber of the eye is the fluid-filled space bounded anteriorly by the cornea, posteriorly by the anterior surface of the iris and the pupillary portion of the lens. It contains aqueous humour produced by the ciliary body that flows through the pupil from the posterior chamber and drains via the trabecular meshwork into the canal of Schlemm at the iridocorneal angle.
| Location | Front of the eyeball, between the back of the cornea and the front of the iris and lens, about 3 mm deep |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Long and short ciliary nerves (supply the surrounding cornea, iris and ciliary body) |
| Blood Supply | Long posterior and anterior ciliary arteries (supply the iris and ciliary body) |
Holds the aqueous humour that nourishes the cornea and lens and keeps the eye inflated. Its angle is the main drainage route, so narrowing of the angle raises eye pressure (angle-closure glaucoma).
The anterior chamber is the focus of glaucoma management: raised intraocular pressure from impaired aqueous outflow at the trabecular meshwork produces progressive optic nerve damage. Primary open-angle glaucoma has an open but dysfunctional angle; primary angle-closure glaucoma has a physically occluded angle by the peripheral iris. Gonioscopy visualises the iridocorneal angle. Anterior chamber paracentesis relieves acutely elevated IOP in central retinal artery occlusion and in post-operative hypertension. Hyphaema (blood in the anterior chamber) from trauma requires monitoring and evacuation if IOP is uncontrolled.
Blunt ocular trauma ruptures the iris or ciliary body vessels producing a hyphaema, a blood level in the inferior anterior chamber visible to the naked eye or as a diffuse red haze; IOP is monitored closely as elevated IOP from clot obstruction of the trabecular meshwork may require topical hypotensive agents or anterior chamber washout.
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