Final answer:
The mapping of the field of view onto the retina is an example of topographic mapping, which ensures that the spatial relationships present in the visual field are maintained throughout their processing in the brain, resulting in an accurate representation of the world.
Step-by-step explanation:
The mapping of the field of view onto the retina is an example of a topographic map. This process begins when the visual field projects through the lenses of the eyes and is cast onto the retina as an inverted, reversed image. The intricate topography of this integrated image is preserved as the visual information travels through the visual pathway to the cortex. In this journey, the right visual field information gets processed in the left visual cortex, and vice versa for the left visual field. Information from the superior (upper) visual field is received by the inferior (lower) retina, and the reverse holds true for the inferior visual field. This results in an inverted and reversed visual field as it enters the visual cortex, although the brain corrects this information, enabling us to perceive the world upright and correctly positioned.
The integrated image on the retina incorporates depth perception, although the retina itself encodes two-dimensional information. Through the cortical processing of neural signals from each eye, our brains extract depth by comparing the different images from our two slightly different-angled views. This three-dimensional interpretation is something we experience naturally and is artificially replicated in 3-D movies through different images presented to each eye.