The tapetum lucidum reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light available to the photoreceptors. This allows cats to see better in the dark than humans. In the last route, some of the light that bounces off the tapetum lucidum, misses the retina, and bounces back out of the cat's eyes.

Why is the tapetum lucidum reflective?

The tapetum functions as a retroreflector which reflects light directly back along the light path. ... The tapetum lucidum reflects with constructive interference, thus increasing the quantity of light passing through the retina.

Why are animal eyes reflective?

Eyes of some animal's shine in the night because they have a special type of reflective layer behind the pupil of their eyes known as Tapetum Lucidum which enhances the amount of light absorbed by the photoreceptors in their eyes. ... Glowing of an animal's eye is an advantage for us.