ABSTRACT
Visual acuity in the periphery is poor and detailed inspection of an object generally entails bringing the foveal region of the retina to bear on it. Investigations of the effects on perception of being reared in the dark showed that subsequent visual behaviour was impaired relative to that of normally reared animals. In the retinal circuitry the cones are connected to neurons called bipolar cells in a one-to-one fashion, while several rods connect to a given bipolar. The retinal signals arising from an external stimulus are transformed at a number of stages on their way through the visual system. The optic fibre terminates prior to the cortex in a structure called the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) where the individual nerves have their first synaptic connection after the retina. The signals generated by the rods and cones in response to light are transmitted to a layer of bipolar cells.
