Final answer:
The image projected onto the retina when you look at words is called a retinal image, formed by the eye's structures, such as the cornea and lens, and processed by the photoreceptors.
Step-by-step explanation:
When light from an object, such as the words in a sentence, enters the eye, the lens and the cornea work together to project a real image onto the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. This image is gathered by the rods and cones, the photoreceptor cells in the retina, which convert the image into electrical signals. These signals then travel via retinal ganglion cell axons that form the optic nerve and are transmitted to the brain for processing.
The word 'blind spot' refers to the spot on the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye, and there are no photoreceptor cells to create an image. A visual illusion refers to a misinterpretation of a visual stimulus, while a visual afterimage is a visual impression that remains after the stimulus is removed, demonstrated by staring at a colored object and then seeing its complementary color upon looking away. However, neither of these accurately describes the image formed on the retina from looking at words on a screen or paper. The correct term for this image is a retinal image, which is the physical representation of the outside world perceived by our eyes and transmitted to the brain.