visual image vs perception

visual image and perception both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
visual image	Yes	No	No	No
perception	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, perception is a hypernym of visual image; that is, perception is a word with a broader meaning than visual image:

visual image: a percept that arises from the eyes; an image in the visual system
perception: the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept

Other hypernyms of visual image include percept, perceptual experience.

visual image (noun)	perception (noun)
a percept that arises from the eyes; an image in the visual system	becoming aware of something via the senses
a mental image that is similar to a visual perception	the process of perceiving
	the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept
	a way of conceiving something
	knowledge gained by perceiving