Tapetum lucidum

The "Tapetum lucidum" creates the reflective effect of the cat's eyes

Cat’s eyes glow with camera flash. A cat’s tapetum lucidum is made up of cells with crystals that, like a mirror, reflect light back to the retina. It basically helps these animals see super well at night. It is also what causes the glowing eye phenomenon known as “eyeshine.”

A layer behind retina. Many vertebrates, especially nocturnal ones, have the reflecting layer called the tapetum lucidum. It reflects the light back through the retina, increasing the amount of light available to the photoreceptors.

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Why do wolves' eyes glow in the dark? Wolves have a special light-reflecting surface right behind their retinas called the tapetum lucidum that helps animals see better in the dark. When light enters the eye, it's supposed to hit a photoreceptor that transmits the information to the brain. But sometimes the light doesn't hit the photoreceptor, so the tapetum lucidum acts as a mirror to bounce it back for a second chance.

Cat with long ears and two different color eyes / red eye reflection from flash / green eye reflection from flash

Cat’s eyes glow with camera flash. A cat’s tapetum lucidum is made up of cells with crystals that, like a mirror, reflect light back to the retina. It basically helps these animals see super well at night. It is also what causes the glowing eye phenomenon known as “eyeshine.”

Cat’s eyes glow with camera flash. A cat’s tapetum lucidum is made up of cells with crystals that, like a mirror, reflect light back to the retina. It basically helps these animals see super well at night. It is also what causes the glowing eye phenomenon known as “eyeshine.”