We’ve been rewatching the X-Men movies recently since the new one is coming out. I’ve only ever had a sort of passing interest in the X-Men, so maybe this is something that has been explained and I’ve just missed it. However, the question occurred to me, so I am asking.

How does Cyclops see?

I don’t mean with the visor on, because I imagine it has some sort of vision thing built into it. What I’m wondering about is how Cyclops can see when so much energy is leaving his eyes. How can he take in light to be processed? Is this one of those scenarios in which we ignore the science in favor of a damned scary superpower?