Ganglion cells are the last stop in your eye. Their long fibers bundle together into the optic nerve, the cable that carries pictures to your brain.
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Ganglion cells (GANG-lee-on) live in the layer of the retina closest to the middle of your eye.
Each one has a round body, short branches that listen to bipolar cells, and one very long fiber. All these fibers gather together and leave the eye as the optic nerve.
Each eye has about a million ganglion cell fibers in its optic nerve!
Ganglion cells take all the news from the retina and send it to your brain. Your brain puts it together into what you see.
Some ganglion cells can sense light all by themselves. They help your body know if it's day or night, which helps set your sleep clock.
Find your blind spot! Draw an X and a dot about a hand apart on paper. Close your left eye and stare at the X with your right eye. Slowly move the paper closer. The dot vanishes where the optic nerve leaves your eye, because there are no light catchers there.