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If our eyes see upside down, how does the brain flip it?

The Week Junior Science+Nature UK

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August 2025

Discover just how incredible your eyes (and brain) are.

If our eyes see upside down, how does the brain flip it?

Your eyes work thanks to light. Objects you can see are either sources of light themselves, like a candle or a phone screen, or things that light bounces off and makes its way into your eyes. Many objects reflect light.

How do eyes see?

First, light passes through the optical parts of the eyes, such as the cornea, pupil and lens. Together, these parts focus the light onto the retina (the back wall of the eye, which is lined with light-sensitive cells), while also controlling the intensity of light. This helps you to see well while avoiding damage to your eyes. The lens correctly focuses light that comes from objects at different distances. This process is known as accommodation.

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