2021–2022 BCSC Basic and Clinical Science Course™,Section 12: Retina and Vitreous

The retina is the delicate neuroepithelium that lines the posterior segment of the eye, adhering firmly to the optic nerve head posteriorly and to the ora serrata anteriorly. Divided into central and extra-areal periphery, this layer of modified sensory cilia serves important aspects of visual function, including:
• detail discrimination
• color perception
• vision in dim illumination
• peripheral vision
The vitreous, which is the transparent structure that fills the posterior segment eye cavity, plays an impor tant role in many diseases of the posterior segment. Understanding its structure and the changes it may undergo as a result of aging is key to understanding many vitreoretinal disorders.