Plain English Meaning

The cells in the very center of your eye that give you sharp, detailed daytime vision when you look straight at something. They work well in good light but lose most of their usefulness at night.

Full Definition

The dense cluster of cone-type photoreceptor cells located in the fovea, a small pit at the center of the retina. Foveal cones provide sharp, detailed, color vision in bright light when an object is looked at directly, but they function poorly in low light.

Context Anchor

Encountered in night flying discussions, especially when learning why looking slightly to one side of an object can make it easier to see in the dark.

Derivation

From Latin fovea, meaning 'small pit' — the tiny dimple at the center of the retina where these cells are packed. 'Cone' comes from the cone-like shape of the cells. Knowing this helps a pilot picture vision as having a sharp '' in the very center of the eye, surrounded by a different kind of .