Postfovea is a term used in ophthalmology to describe the area of the retina situated behind the fovea. When we pronounce this word, the first syllable is pronounced as "pəʊst," with the vowel sound being similar to the word "low." The second syllable is "fəʊvɪə," with the "o" and "i" forming a diphthong. The final syllable is "ə," which is pronounced as the schwa sound. The spelling of postfovea reflects its Greek origins, where "post" means "after," and "fovea" refers to the area of highest visual acuity.
Postfovea refers to the region located after or beyond the fovea, which is a small central pit or depression in the retina of the eye. The fovea is responsible for sharp central vision, and the postfovea refers to the visual area peripheral to this centrally focused region.
In the anatomical context, the postfovea can be considered the region that extends from the fovea towards the periphery of the retina. This area is characterized by a lower density of cone cells, which are responsible for color vision and visual acuity, compared to the fovea. Consequently, visual acuity and color discrimination may be reduced in the postfoveal region.
When discussing visual perception, the term postfovea may be used to describe the perceptual processes and characteristics that occur beyond the fovea. The postfovea is associated with peripheral vision, which includes the detection of motion, contrast, and general shapes rather than fine details. The peripheral visual field allows for awareness of stimuli in the surrounding environment, even if not attended to directly.
Understanding the organization and functioning of the postfovea is crucial in various fields such as ophthalmology, optics, and visual psychophysics. It provides insights into how our visual system processes and interprets information across different regions of the retina, contributing to our overall visual experience.
Fovea inferior in the floor of the fourth ventricle.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
The word "postfovea" is composed of the Latin prefix "post", meaning "after" or "behind", and the Latin word "fovea", meaning "pit" or "small depression". In anatomy, the fovea is a small depression or pit in the retina of the eye, responsible for high visual acuity. "Postfovea" refers to the area located behind or after the fovea. The etymology of the word reflects the description of its anatomical position.