How We See

Light rays constantly bounce off of objects and find their way into the eyes. The lens of the eye focuses these light rays so that an image of the world appears on the back of the eye, called the retina. Here, this image is processed by special cells ad then translated into a pattern of electrical impulses. These impulses travel down the optic nerve to the visual cortex to the brain, where they are interpreted, allowing use to recognize an image of the world around us.

The eye undergoes many normal changes with age that can alter not only vision but outward appearance. The tissues surrounding the eyes atrophy and the fat pads around the eye decreases. As a result, the upper lid may sag and the lower lid may turn inward or outward.