The retina contains the light-sensitive rods and cones in the human eye.
This thin layer of nervous tissue lines much of the inside of the eye. Rod photoreceptors are highly sensitive in dim light and support black-and-white vision, while cone photoreceptors support color vision and detailed vision in brighter conditions. The retina converts light into electrical signals through phototransduction.
Those signals are processed by retinal neurons and then carried through the optic nerve toward the brain. The macula supports detailed central vision, and the fovea, a small central region within it, provides the sharpest vision because cone density is especially high there.
The cornea and lens focus incoming light, but they do not contain the rods and cones. The iris controls pupil size, and the sclera forms the tough outer coat. These structures work with the retina but have different jobs.