Practice 60 high-yield MCQs on developmental milestones of the eye (embryonic, fetal, postnatal). Includes answers with explanations for NEET PG, NEXT, AIIMS, and MRCSEd preparation

1. Eye development begins during:
A. 2nd week
B. 3rd week ✅
C. 4th week
D. 5th week
Exp: Optic vesicle appears in week 3.


2. Lens placode forms in:
A. 3rd week
B. 4th week ✅
C. 6th week
D. 8th week
Exp: Surface ectoderm thickens at week 4.


3. Optic cup forms from:
A. Evagination of diencephalon ✅
B. Mesenchyme
C. Neural crest only
D. Surface ectoderm
Exp: Optic vesicle → optic cup.


4. Embryonic (fetal) fissure appears to allow entry of:
A. Hyaloid artery ✅
B. Optic nerve
C. Lacrimal duct
D. Vitreous humor
Exp: Fissure allows hyaloid artery to enter.


5. Closure of embryonic fissure occurs in:
A. 4th week
B. 5th–6th week ✅
C. 8th week
D. Birth
Exp: By 6th week fissure closes.


6. Failure of fissure closure leads to:
A. Coloboma ✅
B. Aniridia
C. Albinism
D. Aphakia
Exp: Typical coloboma occurs inferiorly.


7. Primary vitreous forms during:
A. 3rd–4th week ✅
B. 6th week
C. 8th week
D. Birth
Exp: Early vitreous with hyaloid artery.


8. Retinal pigment epithelium differentiation starts at:
A. 5th week ✅
B. 8th week
C. Birth
D. 2nd month
Exp: RPE forms from outer optic cup by week 5.


9. Neural retina layers begin forming in:
A. 6th week ✅
B. 3rd week
C. 12th week
D. Postnatally
Exp: Differentiation begins ~6 weeks.


10. Choroidal vasculature begins development at:
A. 6th week ✅
B. 8th week
C. 10th week
D. Birth
Exp: Mesenchyme forms vascular choroid early.


11. Corneal stroma differentiation begins:
A. 6th week
B. 7th week ✅
C. 10th week
D. Birth
Exp: From neural crest mesenchyme.


12. Lens fibres elongate to fill lens vesicle in:
A. 7th week ✅
B. 4th week
C. 12th week
D. Birth
Exp: Primary lens fibres fill vesicle.


13. Hyaloid vascular system peaks at:
A. 9th week ✅
B. 4th week
C. Birth
D. 3rd month postnatal
Exp: Fully developed by ~9 weeks.


14. Eyelids fuse at:
A. 2nd month (8 weeks) ✅
B. 4th month
C. 6th month
D. Birth
Exp: Fusion protects developing cornea.


15. Eyelid separation occurs at:
A. 5th month
B. 6th month ✅
C. Birth
D. 2nd month
Exp: Lids reopen at ~6 months gestation.


16. Pupillary membrane develops from:
A. Mesodermal mesenchyme ✅
B. Surface ectoderm
C. Neural crest
D. Neuroectoderm
Exp: Temporary vascular membrane in front of lens.


17. Pupillary membrane regresses by:
A. 7th month
B. 8th month ✅
C. Birth
D. 1 year
Exp: Normally disappears by month 8.


18. Persistence of pupillary membrane leads to:
A. Strands across pupil ✅
B. Coloboma
C. Microphthalmia
D. Glaucoma
Exp: Fine strands may remain.


19. Iris muscles (sphincter/dilator pupillae) differentiate in:
A. 3rd month ✅
B. Birth
C. 6th month
D. Postnatal
Exp: Neuroectoderm-derived smooth muscle.


20. Canal of Schlemm develops by:
A. 4th month ✅
B. Birth
C. 1 year
D. 6 months postnatal
Exp: Forms from mesenchyme ~4th month.

21. Lacrimal gland becomes functional at:
A. Birth
B. 3rd month after birth ✅
C. 6th month
D. 1 year
Exp: Tears appear after ~3 months.


22. Pupillary light reflex appears:
A. Birth
B. ~30 weeks gestation ✅
C. 12 weeks
D. 6 months
Exp: Detectable in fetus by 30 weeks.


23. Myelination of optic nerve completed by:
A. Birth
B. 1 year ✅
C. 3 years
D. 6 months
Exp: Progresses from LGN → stops at lamina cribrosa.


24. Foveal pit matures by:
A. 6 months
B. 4 years ✅
C. 2 years
D. Birth
Exp: Fovea fully mature ~4 years.


25. Eyeball reaches adult size at:
A. Birth
B. 7–8 years ✅
C. 12 years
D. Adolescence
Exp: Most growth complete by 7–8 years.


26. Corneal diameter at birth:
A. 8 mm
B. 10 mm ✅
C. 12 mm
D. 14 mm
Exp: Adult size ~11–12 mm.


27. Corneal transparency depends on:
A. Regular stromal arrangement ✅
B. Thick epithelium
C. Pigment in stroma
D. Lens clarity
Exp: Uniform collagen spacing crucial.


28. Visual acuity at birth is approx:
A. 6/60 ✅
B. 6/6
C. 6/24
D. Counting fingers only
Exp: Poor acuity at birth; improves gradually.


29. Visual acuity becomes near-adult at:
A. 1 year
B. 3–4 years ✅
C. 6 months
D. Birth
Exp: Parallel to foveal maturation.


30. Tear production sufficient for crying (“crocodile tears”) by:
A. 3 months ✅
B. Birth
C. 1 year
D. 6 months
Exp: Functional lacrimal gland at ~3 months.

31. Lens vesicle fully separates from surface ectoderm at:
A. 4th week
B. 5th week ✅
C. 8th week
D. Birth
Exp: Separation occurs by week 5.


32. Primary lens fibres elongate and fill cavity by:
A. 7th week ✅
B. 10th week
C. 12th week
D. 4th month
Exp: They fill vesicle during week 7.


33. Secondary lens fibres start forming at:
A. End of 7th week ✅
B. Birth
C. 1 year
D. 12th week
Exp: Secondary fibres form lens cortex.


34. Hyaloid artery is most active in:
A. 10th week ✅
B. 20th week
C. Birth
D. 1 year
Exp: Hyaloid system nourishes developing lens early.


35. Regression of hyaloid artery usually complete by:
A. Birth ✅
B. 6 months
C. 3 months
D. 1 year
Exp: Normally gone before birth.


36. Failure of hyaloid regression causes:
A. Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) ✅
B. Coloboma
C. Aniridia
D. Aphakia
Exp: PHPV → fibrovascular tissue persists.


37. Neural retina begins differentiation at:
A. 6th week ✅
B. Birth
C. 12th week
D. 4th month
Exp: Early formation of nuclear/ganglion layers.


38. Optic nerve fibres start forming by:
A. 8th week ✅
B. Birth
C. 4th week
D. 6th month
Exp: Axons from ganglion cells extend into optic stalk.


39. Ganglion cells of retina appear at:
A. 8th week ✅
B. 12th week
C. 20th week
D. Birth
Exp: Earliest neuronal layer to appear.


40. Photoreceptors differentiate significantly by:
A. 4th month ✅
B. Birth
C. 6 months
D. 8th week
Exp: Outer nuclear layer matures in mid-gestation.

41. Eyelash development occurs at:
A. 3rd month ✅
B. Birth
C. 2nd month
D. 5th month
Exp: Lashes form while lids remain fused.


42. Iris pigmentation begins at:
A. 6th month ✅
B. Birth
C. 2nd month
D. 1 year
Exp: Iris melanocytes begin depositing pigment by 6th month.


43. Ciliary processes first appear at:
A. 3rd month ✅
B. 5th month
C. Birth
D. 2nd month
Exp: Early ciliary body development starts in 3rd month.


44. Canal of Schlemm appears at:
A. 4th month ✅
B. Birth
C. 8th month
D. 6th month
Exp: Formed in fetal life.


45. Corneal endothelium becomes functional by:
A. 4th month ✅
B. Birth
C. 8th week
D. 1 year
Exp: Neural crest-derived endothelium established.


46. Aqueous humor production begins at:
A. 4th month ✅
B. Birth
C. 6th month
D. 2nd month
Exp: With differentiation of ciliary body.


47. Retina becomes vascularized from:
A. 4th month onwards ✅
B. Birth
C. 2nd month
D. 8th month
Exp: Retinal vessels spread centrifugally.


48. Retinal vascularization completes by:
A. Term (9th month) ✅
B. 1st year
C. 6 months
D. Birth only
Exp: Full vascularization by birth.


49. Failure of retinal vascularization linked to:
A. Retinopathy of prematurity ✅
B. Coloboma
C. Aniridia
D. Aphakia
Exp: Premature infants at risk.


50. Iris collarette develops by:
A. 6th month ✅
B. Birth
C. 2nd month
D. 3rd month
Exp: Collarette is thickest iris zone in mid-gestation.

51. Tears become abundant and emotional crying starts at:
A. 2–3 months ✅
B. Birth
C. 6 months
D. 1 year
Exp: Lacrimal gland matures postnatally.


52. Binocular vision begins to develop at:
A. 3–4 months ✅
B. Birth
C. 1 year
D. 6 years
Exp: Fusion of both eyes’ input at 3–4 months.


53. Stereopsis (depth perception) develops at:
A. 6 months ✅
B. 2 months
C. 1 year
D. Birth
Exp: Binocular fusion matures into stereopsis.


54. Accommodation becomes reliable at:
A. 3–4 months ✅
B. Birth
C. 1 year
D. 6 months
Exp: Lens focusing mechanism matures after early infancy.


55. Visual acuity improves to 6/6 by:
A. 3–5 years ✅
B. 1 year
C. 6 months
D. Birth
Exp: Vision matures parallel with fovea.


56. Corneal curvature flattens to adult levels by:
A. 2 years ✅
B. Birth
C. 6 months
D. 4 years
Exp: Infant cornea is steeper.


57. Axial length of newborn eye is about:
A. 16–17 mm ✅
B. 20 mm
C. 22 mm
D. 12 mm
Exp: Adult length is ~23–24 mm.


58. Eye reaches adult axial length by:
A. 13 years ✅
B. 7 years
C. 4 years
D. Birth
Exp: Most growth by 7–8, but final by ~13 years.


59. Macular pigmentation appears at:
A. 1 year ✅
B. Birth
C. 6 months
D. 2 years
Exp: Pigment density increases postnatally.


60. Pupillary reactions are consistently stable at:
A. 2–3 months ✅
B. Birth
C. 6 months
D. 1 year
Exp: Neonatal reactions weak; mature by 2–3 months.