Significance of Retina

To have and to enjoy lifetime of good eyesight you need to know about retina and keep it functioning properly. Retina is sensory membrane which is composed of several layers of neurons. Retina lines inner surface of the back of the eyeball. Its purpose is to receive light that lens has focused and send them on to the brain for visual recognition.

Rod and Cones

The retina has photoreceptor cells which are important for their ability to convert light and send them to brain. We have two types of photoreceptors in retina: rods and cones. Rod can function in dim light and provide black and white vision.

Notice that lightenings, flashes from a computer screen, very common when playing videogames, bonus rounds at slot machines with cool effects and some times normal movies can hurt the rod and cones.

Cones, on the other hand, function in bright light, and they are responsible for central vision. In macula, central part of retina, is fovea which is home only for cone photoreceptors and is responsible for colour vision.

Common Retinal Conditions

As we mentioned earlier, retina is the most important part of the eye, which means if retina is damaged it can affect our ability to see. There is a wide variety of retinal problems and diseases. Some of them are: retinal tear, retinal detachment, diabetic retinopathy, macular hole, macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa, cone-rod dystrophy (CORD).

Importance Of Eye Health

It is very important to have an annual eye exam because eyesight is one of our most important senses . If we protect our eyes and if we have routine eye exams we can reduce developing of eye diseases and even find eye problems before symptoms show up. Our eye doctor can detect early signs of diabetes, high blood pressure and other serious medical conditions. Retinal specialist is ophthalmologist.