Retina, Macula, and Fovea

What are they?

Located at the back of the eye, the retina contains light receptors, called rods and cones. Rods collect information about the light, movement, whereas the cones collect information about the color of the light. Since any color of light can be made out of red, green, and blue, it only makes sense that cones are made up of three more light receptors, one for each primary light color. People who lack a few, if not all, color receptors (red, green, or blue), are considered color blind. Strangely, there are no nerves on the retina, so diseases that occur hear are painless and difficult to detect by the patient.

The macula is located on the retina. Light narrows to a point on the macula, which is the center of vision, with the help of the focusing lens. In the center of the macula, there is a point called the fovea, where there are only cones. The fovea is the absolute center of vision. The macula is actually an area where the central vision is and the fovea is a point.

What do they do?

Ok, so we have light and color entering our eyes, but where does this light go? The retina, with the rods and cones aiding, is what catches this light and sends impulses to the brain through the optic nerve so that it can process the light and make images out of it. The light that lands on the macula and fovea form your central vision. So when you read this line, these words are landing on your macula and fovea. All data collected from the retina, macula and fovea are sent to the optic nerve.