This question comes up more often than you’d think.
The short answer? Yes.
However, the real story is much more fascinating than a simple optical trick. Let’s unpack the science behind how we see and why your brain is doing way more than just flipping images.
What’s happening inside your eye?
Light enters your eye through the cornea and passes through the pupil. It’s then focused by the lens onto the retina, which lines the back of your eye.
Here’s where it gets interesting.
“The lens naturally inverts the image, so the picture that lands on your retina is upside down and reversed left-to-right. This isn’t an error. It’s just basic physics. Lenses bend – or refract - light and a simple convex lens like the one in your eye flips the image as part of that process,” said Isaac Kirkpatrick, optometrist and a Professional Services Adviser at Optometry Australia.
So, it’s true that your eyes do technically capture an upside-down version of the world.
So, does your brain flip it the right way up?
That’s where things get really cool.
We used to think the brain actively ‘flipped’ the image so we perceive it the right way up. But modern neuroscience says that’s not quite how it works.
“Your brain doesn’t store or interpret vision like photos. Instead, it processes complex patterns of nerve signals from your retina and interprets them based on spatial relationships, memory and prior experience. It doesn’t need to flip the image back - it simply understands the world based on consistent input.”
In other words, your brain is less interested in how the image lands on your retina and more focused on what it means.
The upside-down goggles experiment
To prove how adaptable the brain really is, scientists have tested what happens when people wear goggles that literally invert everything they see.
The results? At first, it's confusing. People struggle to walk properly, eat or even recognise their surroundings. But after a few days, the brain adjusts.
It learns the new orientation and recalibrates what "up" and "down" mean in that context.
Eventually, people report that everything seems normal again even though the image is still physically upside down.
“This phenomenon, known as perceptual adaptation, shows how flexible and responsive the visual system really is. Your brain doesn’t need to correct what your eyes are doing - it just adapts.”
What about babies?
Newborns don’t come into the world with fully formed visual perception.
While their eyes function, their brains are still learning how to interpret the input. The process of mapping space – for example learning what’s up, down, near, far, familiar or threatening - takes time.
“As infants grow and interact with their environment, their visual cortex gradually learns to make sense of the world. Eventually, “up” feels like up, “down” feels like down, and their experience matches the orientation they’ve learned.”
The take-home message
Your eyes do receive the world upside down - that part’s true. But your brain isn’t just flipping the image. It’s actively interpreting what you see based on relationships, memory and experience.
“This collaboration between your eyes and brain is why you can walk, drive, read and recognise faces even though the raw data coming in is technically inverted. It also explains how vision can feel “off” when something goes wrong with your eyes. When the input becomes unreliable, the brain must work overtime to make sense of it. That’s when fatigue, discomfort or even vision changes can creep in.”
Why does this matter?
It’s a reminder that vision isn’t just about your eyeballs. It’s about the complex, dynamic relationship between your eyes, your brain and the world around you.
“If your vision feels unclear, inconsistent or uncomfortable and even if your glasses seem “fine”, it’s worth checking in with your optometrist. A regular eye exam can catch issues that aren’t just physical but also perceptual, helping you see clearly and comfortably in the way your brain expects.”
Want to find an optometrist near you? Use our Find an optometrist tool to book your next eye exam today!
