Intro | Amacrine Cells | Bipolar Cells | Cones | Optic Disk and Blind Spot | Ganglion Cells | Horizontal Cells | Optic Nerve Fibres | Receptor Cells | Rods
Part 1: Image-Mapped Tutorial
Part 2: Matching Self-Test
Part 3: Multiple-Choice Self-Test
The optic nerve exits the back of the eye through a hole called the optic disk. Since no receptor cells are located in this region, it forms a blind spot in the visual image of the external world. This blind spot is easily compensated for by primary visual cortex with information obtained from the opposite eye.
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Fovea means pit, and is named for its appearance relative other regions of the retina. The relative absence of blood vessels and axons in this region both contributes to appearance of a pit in the retina and the reduction of light scatter. The increased density of receptor cells in the fovea and reduced interference of entering light by other structures both contribute to the enhanced acuity of information processed in the fovea.