How do we see?

How do we see?

1. perception: the way the brain makes sense of the visual image detected by the eyes

2. retina: the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye which is made up of nerve cells called rods and cones

3. rods: light sensitive cells in the retina which respond even in dim light

4. cones: light sensitive cells in the retina that detect colour

5. optic nerve: bundle of nerve cells that leads out from the retina at the back of the eye that carries information from the rods and cones to the brain

6. blind spot: the area of the retina where the optic nerve leaves, it has no rods or gold so cannot detect light

7. optic chiasma: the cross-shape where some of the information from the left and right eye crosses over to pass into the opposite side of the brain

8. visual cortex: the area at the back of the brain that interprets visual information

   • the visual cortex uses information from the eyes in perception to understand shapes and distances, it also fills the gap left by the blind spot in each eye

Images and files in the map