Blind spot (vision)
Blind Spot (Vision)
Blind spot (/'blaɪnd spɒt/), also known as the optic disc or anatomical blind spot, is a specific area in the visual field that corresponds to the lack of light-detecting photoreceptor cells on the optic disc of the retina where the optic nerve passes through the eye.
Etymology
The term "blind spot" comes from the English words "blind," meaning unable to see, and "spot," referring to a specific place or area. The term "optic disc" is derived from the Greek words "optikos," meaning vision, and "diskos," meaning a circular object.
Anatomy
The blind spot is located roughly 15 degrees temporal and slightly inferior to the fovea. It is a small area about the size of a pinhead. The optic nerve that carries visual information from the eye to the brain and the major blood vessels supplying the retina enter the eye at the blind spot.
Function
Despite its name, the blind spot is not noticeable under normal circumstances. This is due to a phenomenon known as filling-in, where the brain uses information from the surrounding visual field and the other eye to fill in the gap in the image.
Related Terms
- Visual Field: The total area that can be seen when the eye is focused on a central point.
- Photoreceptor Cells: Specialized type of neuron found in the retina that is capable of phototransduction.
- Optic Disc: The point of exit for ganglion cell axons leaving the eye.
- Retina: The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye.
- Optic Nerve: The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.
- Eye: The organ of sight.
- Fovea: The part of the eye, located in the center of the macula region of the retina, responsible for sharp central vision.
- Filling-in: A process by which the brain fills in the gaps in an image or a sound that is not perceived by the senses.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Blind spot (vision)
- Wikipedia's article - Blind spot (vision)
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