What is the purpose of a blind spot

Question

What is the purpose of a blind spot

Answer 1

it has no purpose, it's a historical accident.

Answer 2

Ummm...everybody is wrong!  In the most simple terms, the blind spot is caused by the optic nerve connecting your eyeball to the nerves in your brain.  There is no avoiding it unless you don't want to see--or having your eyeball pop out!  

Answer 3

it isn't that being blind there has a purpose, but it is the location where  the retina connects to nerve cells going to the brain, so there are no rods or cones there

Answer 4

The purpose of the blind spot is to show how rediculous the concept of intelligent design is.  The blind spot is due to the fact that the neurons that connect to the brain overlay the photoreceptor cells that detect the light, exactly opposite the way you would construct an eye if you designed it.  Because of this anomaly you need a hole in the layer of photoreceptor cells to allow the neurons to leave the eye and connect to the brain.

Answer 5

There is no purpose. It's usually just an unavoidable hazard.

Answer 6

So predators have a fair chance of getting you. Grrrrrr !

Answer 7

To make you more aware of your surroundings.

Answer 8

That's where the optic nerve crosses back through the retina, so there can be no photoreceptor cells there.

Why would the optic nerve need to cross back through the retina?  Because our retinas are installed backwards!  It's a really bad design.