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Retina

Retina is the thin layer at the back of your eye that senses light and sends signals to your brain.

Think of it this way

Photo paper lines the back wall of an oven. Light through the door hits the paper and leaves a mark at each spot. A wire carries those marks out to a screen on the counter. Your retina is that same layer at the back of your eye, sending what it catches to your brain.

Explaining retina by grade level

Close one eye and look at a card with two dots. Move the card slowly and one dot seems to go away. That happens because one small spot in your eye has no light sensors. The rest of the back of your eye is full of tiny parts that pick up light.

Projects that explore retina

Your Eye's Hidden Blind Spot

The light-sensing layer at the back of your eye has one small area with no light receptors at all — and you can find it yourself. Draw a small dot and a plus sign about six inches apart on paper. Close one eye and focus on the plus sign. Slowly move the paper toward your face. At a certain distance, the dot disappears. That is the moment it falls on the blind spot, where the optic nerve exits the retina and leaves no room for receptors.

Easy