macula lutea

Definition: Area of the retina correlating to the region of highest visual and colour acuity: lying just below the optic disc (where the nerves enter the eye), it is 3 - 5mm in diameter (representing 5 - 10% of the visual field) with around twice the number of cones to rods. * The centre of the macula, the fovea centralis, contains all cones and is surrounded by high density of nerve cells. * The macula, apart from the fovea, is yellowish hence also known as the yellow spot.

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