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Vision

Vision

Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.

Anatomy of the Eyeball

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways

At the molecular level, visual signals trigger transformations in photopigment molecules, resulting in changes in the photoreceptor cell's membrane potential. The photon's energy level is denoted by its wavelength, with each specific wavelength of visible light associated with a distinct color. The spectral range of visible light, classified as electromagnetic radiation, spans from 380 to 720 nm. Electromagnetic radiation wavelengths exceeding 720 nm fall under the infrared category, whereas...

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth Perception and Spatial Vision

Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.

Visual System

Visual System

Light enters the eye through the cornea, a transparent, dome-shaped surface covering the surface of the eyeball that helps to direct and focus incoming light. This light is then channeled toward the pupil, an adjustable opening whose size is controlled by the iris. The iris, a pigmented muscle, regulates the amount of light entering the eye by contracting or dilating the pupil, thereby ensuring optimal light levels for clear vision.
Once through the pupil, the light passes through the lens, a...

Color Vision

Color Vision

Color perception begins in the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Two main theories explain how colors are seen: the trichromatic theory and the opponent-process theory. The trichromatic theory, proposed by Thomas Young in 1802 and extended by Hermann von Helmholtz in 1852, suggests that color vision is based on three types of cone receptors in the retina. These cones are sensitive to different but overlapping ranges of wavelengths corresponding to red, blue, and green.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation

Published on: March 25, 2011

Elemental operations in vision.

Pieter R Roelfsema¹

¹The Netherlands Ophthalmic Research Institute, Meibergdreef 47, 1105 BA Amsterdam, The Netherlands. p.roelfsema@ioi.knaw.nl

Trends in Cognitive Sciences

|May 4, 2005

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study proposes a new theory on how serial processing in vision is managed by neural networks across the cerebral cortex. It explains how sequential steps form complex visual routines, supported by neurophysiological evidence from monkeys.

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Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation

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Published on: March 25, 2011

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Published on: July 21, 2020

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Science
Computational Neuroscience

Background:

Many cognitive tasks, particularly in vision, involve sequential processing steps.
Understanding the neural basis of these serial processes is crucial for cognitive neuroscience.

Purpose of the Study:

To present a novel theory explaining the neural implementation of serial processing in the human visual system.
To elucidate how neuronal networks across the cerebral cortex facilitate sequential information processing.

Main Methods:

Theoretical modeling of neural networks involved in visual processing.
Integration of recent neurophysiological findings from primate studies.
Comparative analysis with computational principles of instruction sequencing.

Main Results:

The proposed theory details how individual neurons contribute to elementary processing steps.
It demonstrates how these steps can be sequenced to create complex visual routines.
Evidence from monkey neurophysiology supports the model of sequential visual processing.

Conclusions:

The theory provides a framework for understanding serial processing in vision via cortical neural networks.
Future research may extend these principles to other sensory modalities and cognitive functions.
This work bridges computational concepts with neurophysiological mechanisms for sequential tasks.