Ocular or Visual System:
« Back to Glossary IndexThe ocular system includes the eye and central visual system (structures of clear components and sections: cornea, lens, aqueous/vitreous humor/fluids). It captures visible, external light and converts it so the brain can create vision. Two eyes working together provide a field of vision, in color, about 200° wide and 135° tall and give depth perception and 3D vision. Sight is what the eyes do. Vision is the entire process from sight to the brain processing vision, as follows:
- External light passes through central vision system—eye structures bend and focus light, adjusting how far light beams travel before focus, which needs to be precise so images aren’t blurry.
- Eye muscles can move focus point so it lands correctly on the retina. Retinal cells generate signals transmitted by optic nerve to the brain—coded messages describing the light, color, intensity.
- The brain decodes/processes the signals and builds the image we see.
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