photoreceptors
A type of cell that converts light into signals that the brain uses to create a picture. Housed in the retina at the back of the eye, photoreceptors are specialized cells that convert incoming light into electrical signals that can be interpreted by the brain. They come in two varieties: rod photoreceptors are responsible for peripheral and low-light vision, while cone photoreceptors are responsible for color and high-acuity vision. Many inherited retinal diseases entail the degeneration of rods and cones, leading to vision loss of various kinds.