why staring at a video then looking away keeps the last frame in your mind longer than if you continue looking at it

Question

Is it just because the brain is filling in the gaps?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Short answer: your eye receives the light to the retina (the back of the eye), which is “burned” by the light, so the image will show if you directly look at a blank slate, like a white wall.

Same process if you look at a bright light source (like a lightbulb) directly, even if you move your eyes afterwards, you’re gonna see the “white” spot in your field of view no matter what for a few seconds.