Final answer:
Overlap in the visual fields of our eyes enables depth perception through retinal disparity and prevents overlapping of blind spots due to each eye covering for the other. The optic chiasm sorts the visual information so that each hemisphere of the brain processes the opposite field of vision, aiding in comprehensive visual perception. The correct option is A) leaves a blind spot anterior to the nose and in the lateral fields of vision
Step-by-step explanation:
The overlap in the visual fields of our eyes allows us to subconsciously estimate the distance of objects based on the different angles the image strikes our two retinas.
This phenomenon is known as retinal disparity. Because our eyes are spaced approximately 6 to 6.5 cm apart, they view objects from slightly different angles, creating a disparity in the image that each eye receives.
The brain uses this information to construct a three-dimensional view of the world, enabling depth perception. Objects that are closer will leave images on the lateral parts of each retina, while more distant objects project onto the medial retinas.
Furthermore, we do not experience overlapping blind spots because each eye covers the blind spot of the other, and the brain 'fills in' the missing information. The optic nerve transmits visual data from the retina to the brain, but there is a blind spot where the optic nerve exits the eye since this spot lacks photoreceptors.
The visual field is processed separately in each eye's retina, with sorting at the optic chiasm allowing for the right visual field to be processed in the left visual cortex and the left visual field in the right visual cortex. The correct option is A) leaves a blind spot anterior to the nose and in the lateral fields of vision