Final answer:
The lens is responsible for bending light to focus on the retina for optimal vision. It adjusts its shape to focus on objects at different distances, and this flexibility can decrease with age, leading to conditions like presbyopia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The lens is responsible for bending light to hit the retina for optimal vision. In the human eye, the lens works in conjunction with the cornea to act as a single thin lens system, which focuses light on the retina located at a fixed distance behind it. The light is then captured by light-sensitive cells on the retina, which include rods and cones that detect different intensities and colors of light. This process allows us to see clear, sharp images.
The retina processes the image, and the optic nerve transmits the visual information to the brain where it is interpreted. The lens's ability to change shape, adjusting its viewing focus for near and far objects, is what allows us to see objects at various distances(visual acuity). As we age, conditions such as presbyopia can occur when the lens loses its flexibility, affecting our ability to see objects up close.