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AnatomyHead and neckOrbit and contentsRetina
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AnatomyHead and neckOrbit and contentsRetina

Retina

Author: Gordana Sendić, MD • Reviewer: Dimitrios Mytilinaios, MD, PhD
Last reviewed: October 30, 2023
Reading time: 1 minute

Recommended video: Eyeball [25:37]
Structure of the eyeball seen in a transverse section.
Retina
1/4
Synonyms: none

The retina constitutes the inner layer (internal tunic) of the eyeball, found anterior to the choroid and posterior to the vitreous body. It starts the posterior surface of the eyeball and terminates anteriorly at the ora serrata. The function of the retina is to convert visual stimuli from the outside environment into neural impulses that are transmitted to the cerebral cortex via the optic nerve for interpretation and analysis.

The retina is composed of epithelial, glial, and neural cells that are organized into 10 distinctive layers. Out of these, the first 9 layers belong to the inner neurosensory retina, one of which are the photoreceptors that are sensitive to light. The 10th layer constitutes the outer retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), which serves to absorb light that passes through the retina and prevent it from reflecting back to the neurosensory layer.

Terminology English: Retina
Latin: Retina
Location Anterior to the choroid, posterior to the vitreous body
Structure Neurosensory retina, retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE)
Function Converting visual stimuli from outside environment into neural impulses that are transmitted via the optic nerve to the cerebral cortex.

Learn all there is to know about the structure of the eyeball in the following study unit:

Anatomy of the eyeball Explore study unit

Sources

All content published on Kenhub is reviewed by medical and anatomy experts. The information we provide is grounded on academic literature and peer-reviewed research. Kenhub does not provide medical advice. You can learn more about our content creation and review standards by reading our content quality guidelines.

Drake, R. L., Vogl, A. W., & Mitchell, A. W. M. (2015). Gray’s Anatomy for Students (3rd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone.

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