• Question: Why do we see blotches after looking at lights?

    Asked by higglebiggle to David, Luna, Probash on 25 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Probash Chowdhury

      Probash Chowdhury answered on 25 Mar 2011:

      The bright light temporarily “stuns” some of the light receptors in our eyes. The other light receptors can still see but the “stunned” ones leave a virtual hole in the field of vision (the scene you are looking at). This doesn’t last long though. It’s a bit like those memory foam mattresses and pillows – when you push your hand into it it leaves a dent in the shape of your hand (this is the light stunning your light receptors), if you move the pillow or mattress the dent goes with it. The memory foam slowly regains it’s shape in a short period of time (this is the stunned light receptors starting to work normally again).

    • Photo: David Pyle

      David Pyle answered on 25 Mar 2011:

      If you look at a bright light and too much light enters the eye before the pupils are able to respond, then the light-sensitive nerve cells in the retina can become temporarily saturated, causing everything to go white for a while.

Comments