How is sight useful when we eat?
Without sight, we would find it hard to identify food. Sight gives us a first impression of the food we eat.

How does our sense of sight work?
Every second, our eyes record billions of physical stimuli in the form of light rays picked up by receptors in the retina.
Our eyes are made up of over 100 million receptors. Retinal cones make up 5% of these receptors and are located at the centre of the retina. They tell us about the colour and sharpness of objects.
The other 95% are retinal rods, concentrated around the edge of the retina. They are 1000 times more sensitive to light than the cones and enable us to see things in dim light.

How is this information transmitted?
Eyes use the optic nerve to transmit visual information to the brain in just a few milliseconds.
Our sense of sight gives us information about the shape, colour, size, texture, and the liquid or solid state of food.

Is sight important?
Sight allows us to recognise a strawberry for example, and know if it is ripe. It also helps us distinguish between edible food and poisonous food.

Does sight create expectations?
Our sense of sight can influence us. What would you think if you saw a blue apple or green meat?
Colours can also create expectations with regard to other perceptions. The colour red can be linked to red fruit and create the expectation of a strawberry flavour.