Fovea centralis

Sensory (eye & ear)OrgansHeadLeft and right

View left in 3D View right in 3D

What it is

A small pit in the centre of the macula where the inner retinal layers are pushed aside so light falls directly on densely packed cones; it contains no rods and no blood vessels.

Function

The point of sharpest vision: we move our eyes to put whatever we look at onto the fovea.

Size

1.5 mm across; central foveola 0.35 mm with ~150,000-200,000 cones per mm2.

Clinical note

In a central retinal artery occlusion the fovea stands out as a "cherry-red spot" against the pale, swollen retina.