A type of photoreceptor cell. Although cones are present throughout the retina, they densely populate the macula, the central portion of the retina. Cone cells are particularly important for color vision and discriminating fine visual detail.
Type of photoreceptor which is specialized for color vision
Cone cells, or cones, are cells in the retina of the eye which only function in relatively bright light. There are about 6 million in the human eye, concentrated at the fovea. This figure, commonly cited, was found by Osterberg in 1935.