The primary visual cortex, and feedback to it, are not necessary for conscious vision.
Brain : a journal of neurology January 2011 Dominic H Ffytche, Semir Zeki
A compelling single case report of visual awareness (visual qualia) without primary visual cortex would be sufficient to refute the hypothesis that the primary visual cortex and the back-projections to it are necessary for conscious visual experience. In a previous study, we emphasized the presence of crude visual awareness in Patient G.Y., with a lesion of the primary visual cortex, who is...