The Eye in Space

NASA Astronaut-physician Dr Serena Auñón-Chancellor, a member of the expedition 56 crew, examines her eye on the International Space Station with a Funduscope with remote support from doctors on the ground. The effects of microgravity have many effects on the human body; and after six months spent in space, the effects on eyesight are often permanent. As both a doctor and a NASA astronaut, she’s interested in how research in space can contribute to advancements in medicine on earth.

Space flights can cause changes in astronauts' eyes and vision. The most common structural change was flattening of the back of the eyeball. Changes in the retina, the lightsensitive area at the back of the eye, and the optic nerve were also found.