anterior chamber
This is the fluid-filled space in the front part of the eye, located immediately behind the cornea but in front of the iris. This “chamber” is filled with clear aqueous fluid and easy to examine by the doctor using the slit lamp microscope in the office. In cases of trauma or iritis, the anterior chamber may be filled with inflammatory cells that can be detected in the office. In more severe cases of trauma, blood can fill this space … this is called a hyphema. If you have acute glaucoma, the anterior chamber can be shallow as the aqueous fluid cannot drain out properly.
The “anterior chamber” is a descriptive term to describe the fluid filled front part of the eye. If you are interested in learning about the different part of the eye, you may enjoy:
1. Intro to Eye Anatomy: This is an older anatomy lecture available at OphthoBook for viewing. The presentation style is a little dated, but the information is solid.
2. Introduction to Slit-Lamp: This is a more modern live lecture and shows the anterior chamber findings that we look for during an eye exam.