Plain English Meaning

A tiny spot at the back of your eye that gives you your sharpest, clearest vision when there's enough light. It's what you use to read, recognize faces, and pick out fine detail straight ahead.

Full Definition

A small pit near the center of the retina, packed densely with cone cells, that provides the sharpest visual acuity and the most accurate color perception. It is the area of the eye used for detailed central vision in good light, but it has no rod cells, so it performs poorly in low light.

Context Anchor

Pilots encounter this term in discussions of day vision, night vision, , and why looking slightly away from a dim object can make it easier to see.