Retina

The retina is the innermost layer of the wall of the eye. It is in immediate contact with the vitreal cavity on one side and with the choroid (of the uveal layer) on the other side. The cellular layers of the retina are as follows: 1) The pigmented epithelium, which is adjacent to the choroid, absorbs light to reduce back reflection of light onto the retina, 2) the photoreceptor layer contains photosensitive outer segments of rods and cones, 3) the outer nuclear layer contains cell bodies of the rods and cones, 4) the outer plexiform layer contains synapses between axons of photoreceptors and dendrites of intermediate neurons, 5) the inner nuclear layer contains cell bodies of intermediate neurons and Muller cells, 6) the inner plexiform layer contains synapses between intermediate neurons and ganglion cells of the optic tract, 7) the ganglion cell layer contains cell bodies of ganglion cells, 8) the optic nerve fiber layer contains axons of ganglion cells. Membrane layers that are not visible in this image separate the photoreceptors from their cell bodies and retina from the vitreal body.