parafovea

The parafovea is a region in the human retina surrounding the fovea, which is the area of sharpest vision. This area is crucial for detailed sight, as it contains the highest density of rods, which are photoreceptor cells responsible for vision in low light. The parafovea, along with the fovea and perifovea, is encompassed by the macula lutea, often called the "yellow spot" due to a yellow pigment present in these retinal layers. The fovea itself is a small depression in the macula containing only cones, enabling maximum visual acuity and color discrimination.12