At the back of the eye lies a layer of cells as thin as a piece of tissue paper. This layer of cells is called the retina and is responsible for converting patterns of light into images before sending them to the brain via the optic nerve.
The retina is made up of different types of cells which serve different purposes. The macula is the part of the retina which is responsible for central vision and discrimination of color and detail. It is made up of cells called cones. If this part of the retina is damaged, visual acuity is lost, and objects will not be seen clearly. The macula may be damaged by a number of conditions, including retinopathies, macular dysplasia, cone-rod dystrophy, and macular degeneration. More information about these conditions is available in the retinal conditions library.
Rods are another type of cell in the retina. Rods are responsible for night vision and peripheral vision, or what is seen out of the corner of the eye. If the part of the retina where rods are located is damaged, these abilities will be lost. Conditions which can cause this kind of loss include retinitis pigmentosa, LCA, and rod-cone dystrophy. More information about these conditions is available in the retinal conditions library.
Other conditions can affect the retina as well. A retinal detachment means that the retina is pulled away from the back of the eye and thus cannot send images to the brain. If a retinal detachment has occurred recently, surgery may be performed to repair it. Retinal reattachment surgeries have varying degrees of success depending on a number of factors. One type of reattachment procedure is the vitrectomy.
Other conditions may cause a person to have blind spots or to see floaters or flashing lights. These things may indicate problems which are treatable.
The Visual Pathway
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