Which structure in the visual pathway is located first?

The correct answer is the retina, as it is the first structure in the visual pathway where light is processed into visual signals. The retina contains photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) that convert light into electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted to the bipolar cells and ganglion cells within the retina.

The optic nerve, which is the next structure after the retina in the visual pathway, carries these signals away from the eye to the brain. Following the optic nerve, the visual signals pass through the optic chiasm, where some fibers cross over to the opposite side, and then they are relayed to the visual cortex where processing for perception occurs. Therefore, the retina is the very first point of visual information processing in the visual pathway.