The center of your retina is called the fovea centralis, which is a small, central pit composed of closely packed cone photoreceptors. It is located at the center of the macula lutea and is responsible for sharp central vision, which is essential for activities requiring detailed vision like reading and driving. The very center of the fovea is the foveola, about 0.35 mm in diameter, where only cone cells are present and visual acuity is highest due to the dense packing of these cone cells and the absence of rods and blood vessels that could scatter light. The fovea lies within the macula, the yellow pigmented area roughly at the center of the retina, measuring about 6 mm in diameter. This central retina area is thicker and cone-dominated compared to the peripheral retina, which is rod-dominated. The specialized structure of the fovea—with displaced inner retinal layers allowing direct light access to the photoreceptors—maximizes visual resolution and color perception.
In summary, the center of the retina is the fovea centralis located within the macula, critical for sharp and detailed central vision.
