What is the primary role of the eye lens?

The primary role of the eye lens is to focus light onto the retina. The lens changes its shape through the process of accommodation, allowing the eye to adjust its focus for objects at varying distances. When light enters the eye, it first passes through the cornea, which provides most of the eye's optical power, and then through the lens. The lens fine-tunes this focus by bending or refracting the light more precisely, ensuring that images are sharp and clear when they reach the retina. Once focused, the retina converts the light into neural signals that are transmitted to the brain for image processing, making the lens crucial for clear vision.

In contrast, other functions such as protecting the eye, filtering UV rays, or producing tears relate to different parts of the eye and its overall functioning but do not pertain directly to the primary focusing role of the lens itself.