Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

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.

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...

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,...

The Retina

The Retina

The retina is a layer of nervous tissue at the back of the eye that transduces light into neural signals. This process, called phototransduction, is carried out by rod and cone photoreceptor cells in the back of the retina.

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...

Accessory Structures of the Eye

Accessory Structures of the Eye

Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Virtual reality stimulation for neuroprotection and neuroenhancement of vision in optic neuropathy patients: a prospective clinical trial.

BMC ophthalmology·2025

Same author

Neurotoxic Reactive Astrocytes Drive Neuronal Death after Retinal Injury.

Cell reports·2024

Same author

Postsynaptic neuronal activity promotes regeneration of retinal axons.

Cell reports·2023

Same author

Brief structured respiration practices enhance mood and reduce physiological arousal.

Cell reports. Medicine·2023

Same author

Corrigendum to "Characterization of non-alpha retinal ganglion cell injury responses reveals a possible block to restoring ipRGC function".

Experimental neurology·2022

Same author

Characterization of non-alpha retinal ganglion cell injury responses reveals a possible block to restoring ipRGC function.

Experimental neurology·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

Mechanisms of eye-specific visual circuit development.

Andrew D Huberman¹

¹Department of Neurobiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. adh1@stanford.edu

Current Opinion in Neurobiology

|January 27, 2007

Summary

Researchers are clarifying how the brain forms precise visual circuits, focusing on how neural activity guides synapse elimination and axon refinement for eye-specific connections.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Visual System Research

Background:

The development of precise neural circuits in the central nervous system (CNS) is crucial for sensory processing.
Eye-specific visual connections serve as a key model for understanding circuit formation, synapse elimination, and axon refinement.
Neural activity's role in shaping these connections is a significant area of investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the mechanisms underlying eye-specific circuit development in the CNS.
To investigate the role of spontaneous retinal activity in retinogeniculate segregation.
To understand how axon guidance cues contribute to the organization of eye-specific maps.

Main Methods:

Analysis of spontaneous retinal activity patterns.

More Related Videos

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis

Published on: May 26, 2021

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening

Published on: October 6, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Using Looming Visual Stimuli to Evaluate Mouse Vision

Published on: June 13, 2019

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis

Published on: May 26, 2021

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening

Published on: October 6, 2014

Investigation of synaptic events during circuit formation.

Examination of axon guidance cues in map organization.

Main Results:

Identified features of spontaneous retinal activity that drive eye-specific retinogeniculate segregation.
Characterized synaptic events critical for this segregation process.
Highlighted the importance of axon guidance cues in establishing eye-specific maps.
Provided new support for the role of spontaneous retinal activity in ocular dominance column development.

Conclusions:

Mechanisms guiding eye-specific circuit development are becoming increasingly understood.
Spontaneous retinal activity and axon guidance cues are key players in forming precise visual connections.
The eye-specific visual system remains a powerful model for studying CNS circuit development.