Macula
The macula or macula lutea is an oval yellow spot near the center of the retina of the human eye. It has a diameter of about 1.5 mm. Near its center is the fovea, a small pit that contains the largest concentration of cone cells in the eye and is responsible for central vision.
Whereas loss of peripheral vision may go unnoticed for some time, damage to the macula will result in loss of central vision, which is usually immediately obvious.
There has been a significant increase in the number of reported cases of macular degeneration, and there is some new evidence that this is linked to the increase in consumption of certain oilseed vegetable oils. The mechanism by which this link operates is not yet understood.
