How Your Eyes work with your Brain to See

05 Nov 2013

How you see the world around you and how you interact with it is all thanks to the intricate pathways that link the back of your eyes to the back of your head.

 

Your brain is essentially a control panel that is responsible for every single bodily function, including the power of sight.

Areas of the brain

The brain can be separated into three main areas – cerebrum, cerebellum and brain stem.

 

The largest part of the brain is the cerebrum which is made up of four separate lobes: the frontal lobe, temporal lobe, parietal lobe and occipital lobe.

 

Your brain assembles images of what you see in the primary visual cortex at the back of the brain, more specifically, in the occipital lobe.

Light travels through the eye to the brain

In order to see, light that enters through the eyes is changed and translated into a range of impulses that can be understood by the brain.

 

Retina: The retina located at the back of the eye contains photoreceptor cells that convert rays of light into electrochemical signals that pass through the layers of the retina to ganglion cells. These cells then send information to the brain via the optic nerve.

 

Optic Nerve: A vital cranial nerve, the optic nerve is the pathway that carries nerve impulses from each eye to the brain. Information from the right eye travels to the left hemisphere and vice versa because the optic nerve intersects at the optic chiasm.

 

Optic Chiasm: Located deep inside the brain under the hypothalamus (controls body temperature and works in tandem with the pituitary gland), the optic chiasm is the crossroads at which the optic nerve from each eye detours to the opposite side of the brain.

 

Occipital Lobe: Found at the back of the brain, just above the cerebellum, the occipital lobe processes the impulses it receives from the optic nerve. It is the centre of your visual perception system and is responsible for how you see the world around you.

 

Visual Cortex: This is the area of the brain where both sensory and motor information is combined with sight. For example, it allows you to understand that you’re looking at a book, and then, enable you to pick it up.

Is the brain responsible for my refractive error?

The brain can only understand the information it receives, and if the message gets muddled on the way to the occipital lobe, it is through no fault of the brain itself.

 

Your refractive error is caused by the way in which your eye has grown or the shape of your cornea - your eyeball can be too short or too long, or your cornea can be too steep, too shallow or completely misshapen.

 

Laser Eye Surgery works by correcting the shape of your cornea so that light can reach the back of your eye correctly and send clear images to the brain.

 

To find out more information about Laser Eye Surgery, call to book your free consultation on +353 1 223 8821 or visit www.optilase.com

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September 18, 2023

I could not rate high enough, consultation was extremely informative and the staff were amazing, very friendly and answered all my questions with ease.

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September 7, 2023

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JeriesHamaty
September 5, 2023

I had my PRK done on both eyes , and im happy with the result. The post operation pain was extreme but it settled down after 4 days. Now i feel great after 2 weeks post operation no complications what so ever , other than blurry vision now and then, but its improving every day

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Rebekah Lowry
August 25, 2023

Got LASIK in Ely Place only yesterday and officially had 20/20 vision just 24 hours later! Cannot recommend Optilase enough from my initial consultation with Aisling in Athlone to my trips to Carrickmines and Ely Place. The staff really look after you from the moment you walk in the door and make you feel so at ease from start to finish - 10 out of 10 experience!

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August 21, 2023

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August 21, 2023

LASIK was so easy and pain free. It’s one week post surgery and my eye sight is wonderful. I couldn’t recommend enough.

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August 21, 2023

I no longer need glasses,absolutely life changing.Great aftercare,lovely staff.

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Poliana Oliveira
August 9, 2023

I have been wearing glasses for over 20 years. I always hated wearing contact lenses and I got to a time in my life that I needed a change. A friend recommended optilase, I went for the free consultation and the person that did all the exams was really nice and I felt safe and confident enough to go ahead, I was recommended the PRK. I Put on a piece of paper how much I spent and would still spend on glasses for the next 10 years, and the surgery was for sure cheaper than that. My prescription was very high, both eyes, myopia and astigmatism Optilase provided all the information I needed, in clear manner. And they always made clear that there was nothing wrong with my eyes, it was my own choice to go for the surgery. The day of the surgery I was a bit nervous, who wouldn't? But then, from the reception to the surgeon, they were all so nice and welcoming. Hernandez performed the procedure, lovely surgeon, again all information was provided the way it should. I was instructed in what I should and should not do. The actual procedure took less than 15min, I felt nothing, no discomfort or anything. The whole process is very well done by the team, if I remember well around 3 people supporting the surgery plus one other girl providing pos surgery instructions. Right after the procedure I could already see much better than before without glasses! I couldn't believe it, I cried, thanked everyone and left the clinic knowing that I made the best choice. The recovery for PRK is a bit longer, I stayed for 2 full days no phones, or any screens. In the dark. If you have a little one, I would recommend to have someone minding them, as you are very limited in what you can do for the day of and day after surgery. It is hard to open the eyes, the second day after surgery was the toughest, I thought all went wrong as the vision got worst, but again I was advised it could happen. Note that this was my experience and could be different for other people. The 3rd day I felt nothing and could see much better already. Light sensitivity was very high, and still, 6 days after surgery, but nothing that a sun glasses would not help. My vision still blurred, but I need no glasses to see, my eyes feel dry sometimes, but the eye drops provided helps with it and and am very happy with the results already, even knowing it takes a bit longer to fully recover the vision. I'm back to work (screen at 200% to make sure I dont force my eyes too much) and I have had no headaches or anything, which I would have all the time looking at screens for most of my day. I cannot recommend Optilase enough, they are amazing! If you want to do something for your self and want a place you can trust, go for it, choose Optilase. Thanks to the whole team for one of the best things I did for my self!

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damien mcandrew
August 9, 2023

Great experience all tound from start to finish. Every step explained in great detail. Eyesight was better than 20/20 the next day. Would highly recommend using optilase for laser eye surgery

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Eve Murphy
August 9, 2023

Surgeon was great! Talked me through everything as the surgery was happening. Bit of discomfort during surgery and very painful for 2-3 hrs after but put more drops in and took a nap and then completely fine after. Colette for my consultation and post op was so friendly and helpful. Overall, great experience.

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August 3, 2023

I highly recommend Optilase for laser eye surgery. The process from the initial consultation to the post surgery check ups was quite smooth and professional. The staff working at the clinic was very knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. The surgery was over in minutes and I didn't feel any pain. The doctor kept an open communication with me during the surgery what made a big difference.

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