First Picture of Living Human Retina Reveals Surprise The first
images ever made of retinas in living people reveal surprising
variation from one person to the next. Yet somehow our
perceptions don't vary as might be expected. Imaging thousands
of cells responsible for detecting color in the deepest layer of
the eye, scientists found that our eyes are wired differently.
Yet we all -- with the exception of the color blind -- identify
colors similarly. The results suggest that the brain plays an
even more significant role than thought in deciding what we see.
Inside the eye The eye, responsible for receiving visual images,
is wrapped in three layers of tissue [graphic]. The innermost
layer, the retina, is responsible for sensing color and sending
information to the brain. Inside the Eye The retina contains
light receptors known as cones and rods. These receptors receive
light, convert it to chemical energy, and activate the nerves
that send messages to the brain. The rods are in charge of
perceiving size, brigh