How did Lucretius explain the process of seeing objects?

In his philosophical poem De rerum natura (On the Nature of Things), Lucretius explains the process of vision through the mechanics of atomic theory.12

He posited that objects are seen because they constantly discharge from their surfaces representative "films" or thin layers of atoms. These films travel through space and strike the eye, functioning in a manner similar to how smells strike the nose to produce the sensation of scent.1

This explanation is part of his broader effort to describe sense perception as a physical process involving the movement of matter. While Lucretius maintained that the senses themselves are infallible, he noted that human reason can sometimes make false inferences based on the data provided by these perceptions.12