Vision Flashcards
What is sensation?
detection of external or internal stimuli through specialized receptors that are present in special senses
What is perception?
what your brain makes of these stimuli, for example, your experiences of colour, noise, the fragrance of perfumes, insect bite on the skin
What does the Old Lady illusion tells us about the difference between sensation and perception?
Everyone experiences the same stimulus. However,people have a different interpretation of what they first see. That is, they differ in their perception.
What are photons?
tiny particles that are emitted from light sources and travel in waves
What is electromagnetic energy? How is it measured?
Light energy is measured in wavelengths
How are wavelengths measured?
Wave lengths are measured in nanometers (10^-9m) (nm)
What is the electromagnetic spectrum?
range of possible wavelengths
What is the visible spectrum?
range of the electromagnetic spectrum that we can see (about from 400nm to 700nm)
What are photoreceptors?
receptors at the back of our eyes, that are transducers
What are transducers?
device that converts one form of energy into another (light energy into action potentials)
What controls the pupil and lens’ size?
The ciliary muscles that control zonule fibers
Where does the light concentrates once it penetrates the eye?
At the retina
What is the foeva?
pit at the center of the retina that picks up light and is concentrated in photoreceptors
What is the blind spot on the retina?
Where the optic nerve starts (called the optic disk)
What is the cornea?
protective tissue covering the eye
What is the aqueous humor?
watery fluid nourishing the lens and cornea
What is the vitreous humor?
fluid filling space between the lens and the retina
What is the sclera?
white protective layer of the eye
What is refraction? How does it happen in the eye?
change in direction of light rays as they travel from one medium to another
• Light is 1st refracted by lens and cornea, converging its rays in the middle of the retina
In what tissue are photoreceptors embedded?
• Photoreceptors are embedded in pigment epithelium; which nourishes them
What is object visualization?
humans visualize objects because the light reflected form the objects falls onto the retina
What is accomodation of the eye?
The ability of the eyes to keep objects in focus as they vary in distance
How does the lens adapts to close objects?
Lens become more convex, increasing its focusing power (ciliary muscles contract)
How does the lens adapts to far objects?
lens relaxes (as do ciliary muscles) and flattens
How are called the photoreceptors of the retina?
Rods and cones
What are horizontal cells?
Inhibitory neurons that release GABA (activated by photoreceptors)
What are amacrine cells?
spread activation form bipolar cells to ganglion cells
What are the 2 types of retinal ganglions cells? What are they responsible for?
Midget and parasol cells
Midget: colour vision
Parasol: dark and light contrasts