What is the primary function of the lens in the eye?

The primary function of the lens in the eye is to focus light onto the retina. The lens is a transparent structure located behind the iris and the pupil and plays a crucial role in vision. When light enters the eye, it passes through the cornea (the outermost layer) and then through the lens. The lens adjusts its shape to fine-tune the focus of the light so that it converges precisely on the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. This focusing process is essential for clear vision, enabling us to see objects sharply at various distances.

The lens achieves this focusing by changing its curvature; it becomes thicker to focus on nearby objects and flatter for distant ones. This ability to alter its shape is called accommodation. Once the light is accurately focused on the retina, it can then be detected by photoreceptor cells (rods and cones), leading to visual perception.

The other options describe different functions that are either associated with other parts of the eye or not directly related to the lens. For example, darkening light does not represent the lens's function but instead relates to pupils, which adjust in size to control light entry. Detecting color is a function of the cone cells in the retina, while transmitting signals