an image (usually a negative image) that persists after stimulation has ceased

an image that stays with you even after you have stopped looking at an object

a visual image that persists after a stimulus has been removed

a visual impression that remains in the retina after the initial stimulus is removed

An image, usually in complementary colors, that persists in the eyes' nerves after the original image is gone.

An afterimage is an optical illusion that occurs after looking away from a direct gaze at an image. This is closely related to the phenomenon called the persistence of vision, which is used in animation and cinema. One of the most common afterimages is the bright glow that seems to float before one's eyes after staring at a light bulb or a headlight for a few seconds.