Visual information is seen because light passes through the cornea and is focused by the lens as an inverted image on the retina (Ellis, 2004). The retina is composed of photoreceptor cells; rods and cones with the greatest density of cones located within the fovea, so vision is clearer for images and information projected onto the fovea (Ellis, 2004). Visual information from lateralized foveal stimuli subsequently projects to the cerebral hemisphere within the brain. In the brain, the left visual hemifield projects to the right hemisphere and the right visual hemifield projects to the left hemisphere (Lavidor, Ellis, Shillcock & Bland, 2001). Generally for most individuals (particularly right-handed people), visual recognition of words and information is most efficient for viewing in the right visual field. However, it is debated whether lateralized foveal information within the left or right visual field is doubly projected to both hemispheres or unilaterally projected to the contralateral hemisphere because the fovea is divided anatomically and there is a differential contribution of the two hemiretinae. Two forward theories have been put forward as to how visual information is projected into the hemispheres. According to the split fovea theory, hemispheric division in processes occurs up to the point of fixation. When the eyes are fixated within a written word, visual information about letters falling to the left of fixation is initially projected onto the right cerebral hemisphere, while visual information about letters falling to the right of fixation is projected onto the right hemisphere. left cerebral. Foveal processing is divided so precisely at the vertical midline that all letters on either side of the fixation project (unilaterally) to the center of the card...occur in foveal vision away from the midline, however this is not visible or obvious when recognition of visual information occurs. There is an overlap at the center of the fovea where information projects simultaneously to both hemispheres, this being consistent with the bilateral theory. On the other hand, the split fovea theory is an interesting theory of fixation effects that was inspired by previous research unrelated to the split fovea theory and therefore unable to provide adequate evidence. More recently, the split fovea theory was based on experiments conducted specifically to support it, but in which fixation positions were not monitored and stimuli exceeded foveal vision. It's good to see that research in this area is starting to improve, but it's hard to get excited about a theory when there's no compelling evidence to support it..