Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this
website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the
website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to
respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. The NIH
Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more
details about its operating status, please visit
cc.nih.gov. Updates
regarding government operating status and resumption of normal
operations can be found at
opm.gov.
differentiate from VISUAL PERCEPTION which takes place in the brain, vision takes place in the eye; visual stimulation: probably PHOTIC STIMULATION but check text for possible non-light (non-photic) stimulation
Scope Note
The process in which light signals are transformed by the PHOTORECEPTOR CELLS into electrical signals which can then be transmitted to the brain.
The transducing of light energy to afferent nerve impulses in the retinal rods and cones. After light photons are absorbed by the visual photopigments, the signal is transmitted to the outer segment membrane by the cyclic GMP second messenger system, where it closes the sodium channels. This channel gating ultimately generates an action potential in the inner retina.