10/30/2023 0 Comments Pictures of eyeballs looking surprisedIn the last route, some of the light that bounces off the tapetum lucidum, misses the retina, and bounces back out of the cat’s eyes. This allows cats to see better in the dark than humans. The tapetum lucidum reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the photoreceptors. Some of the light passes through or around the retina and hits the tapetum lucidum. These photoreceptor cells trigger nerve impulses that pass via the optic nerve to the brain, where a visual image is formed. Some of the light directly hits the retina, a layer at the back of the eyeball containing cells that are sensitive to light. ![]() When light enters a cat’s eye, it can take a few routes. It is also what causes the glowing eye phenomenon known as “eyeshine.” How Does It Work? It basically helps these animals see super-well at night. The tapetum lucidum (Latin for “shining layer”) is essentially a tiny mirror in the back of many types of nocturnal animals’ eyeballs. We now know that cat’s eyes appear to glow because they, along with the eyes of many other nocturnal animals, reflect light.Īll eyes reflect light, but some eyes have a special reflective structure called a tapetum lucidum that create the appearance of glowing at night. Ancient Greeks believed there was a light source inside the eyes that was like a gleaming fire. Ancient Egyptians believed cats captured the glow of the setting sun in their eyes and kept it safe until morning. ![]() Have you ever walked around a dark corner only to be surprised by glowing eyes staring back at you? The glowing eyes of a cat at night can sometimes be shocking and even a little scary if unexpected.
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