Our Image of the World: The Retinastructure of the retina

  • The retina, located in the back of the eye, contains several layers of photoreceptor cells (called rods and cones).
  • The optical system of the eye creates an image of the visual world on the retina in the same way as an old fashioned camera did with film.
  • Light incident upon the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and ultimately electrical events that are communicated to the brain via the optic nerve, where these images are interpreted (resulting in visual perception).
  • The retina is part of the central nervous system, and consists of brain tissue.