Vision begins as light is converted into signals that are interpreted by the brain. This happens in the retina, located at the back of the eye near the optic nerve. The retina receives light that the eye’s lens has focused, converts the light into neural signals, and sends these signals to the brain to convert into images.
Retina Terms to Know
Photoreceptors
Specialized cells in the eye that respond to light
Rods
Photoreceptors concentrated in the outer areas of the retina that detect motion, provide black-and-white vision, function well in low light, and provide peripheral vision
Cones
Photoreceptors responsible for central vision and color vision that perform best in medium and bright light
Macula
A small central area of the retina where cone photoreceptors are concentrated that’s responsible for detailed vision
Fovea
The depression in the very center of the macula where eyesight is the sharpest
