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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,...

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.

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...

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 21, 2026

Topographical Estimation of Visual Population Receptive Fields by fMRI

Topographical Estimation of Visual Population Receptive Fields by fMRI

Published on: February 3, 2015

Population receptive field dynamics in human visual cortex.

Koen V Haak¹, Frans W Cornelissen, Antony B Morland

¹Laboratory for Experimental Ophthalmology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

|June 1, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The brain

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Last Updated: May 21, 2026

Topographical Estimation of Visual Population Receptive Fields by fMRI

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Published on: February 3, 2015

Investigating Object Representations in the Macaque Dorsal Visual Stream Using Single-unit Recordings

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Published on: August 1, 2018

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Published on: February 8, 2020

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Visual Perception
Cognitive Science

Background:

Early research showed that visual receptive fields in cats adapt to artificial blind spots.
Recent studies suggest similar dynamics in human population receptive fields (pRFs).

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how artificial scotomas affect human pRFs.
To determine if pRFs exhibit similar adaptability as single neuron receptive fields.

Main Methods:

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to measure pRFs in twelve healthy participants.
Artificial scotomas were created by masking the central visual field during fMRI scans.

Main Results:

Population receptive fields (pRFs) demonstrated changes in location and size in response to two different artificial scotomas.
These observed pRF dynamics suggest neural plasticity in the human visual system.

Conclusions:

Human pRFs adapt to induced visual field defects, mirroring findings in single neuron studies.
pRF dynamics are likely influenced by receptive field variations and feedback from other visual areas.