1. A method for extracting iris data from an eye for biometric identification, said method comprising the steps of: acquiring an eye image, said eye image having a plurality of component images including an iris image with an inner boundary and an outer boundary, and said eye image having a distribution of grey levels; segmenting and identifying said component images from said eye image according to ranges within said distribution of grey levels associated with said component images; determining said inner boundary and outer boundary of said iris image from said component images; processing said iris image within said inner boundary and outer boundary; and extracting biometric data from said iris image between said inner boundary and said outer boundary.