Columbus State Introduction to Psychology Exam 1 Practice 2026 - Free Psychology Practice Questions and Study Resources

The retina is the multilayered light-sensitive surface at the back of the eye that records light and converts it into neural impulses. It houses photoreceptors—rods and cones—that detect light; when photons hit these cells, a chemical change triggers an electrical signal. This signal passes through the retinal network to ganglion cells, and the resulting neural impulses travel via the optic nerve to the brain for interpretation. The cornea and lens are focused light entry and shaping structures, not the site of light-to-signal conversion, and the optic nerve carries the signals onward rather than detecting light itself.