Which component of the visual system is involved in the perception of color?

The perception of color in the visual system is fundamentally linked to the retina, which contains specialized cells called cone photoreceptors. These cones are sensitive to different wavelengths of light, corresponding to various colors. There are three types of cones—each responsive to short (blue), medium (green), and long (red) wavelengths. When light enters the eye and is absorbed by these cones, they convert the light into neural signals that are interpreted by the brain as color.

While elements like the cornea and lens play crucial roles in focusing light onto the retina, they do not directly participate in the perception of color itself. The optic nerve is responsible for transmitting the visual information from the retina to the brain, but it does not involve the actual detection or interpretation of color. Thus, the retina is the component that directly engages with the light-sensitive cells and enables the brain to perceive color.