What are photoreceptors?

Photoreceptors are special cells in your eyes that help you see things around you.

Imagine your eye is like a camera. When you look at something, like a toy or a cookie, light from that thing travels into your eye. The photoreceptors are like the film inside the camera, catching that light and turning it into signals your brain can understand.

Think of photoreceptors as little helpers in your eye. There are two main types: rods and cones.

• Rods help you see when it's dark, like when you're playing hide-and-seek at night.
• Cones help you see colors, like the red, blue, and yellow of a rainbow or your favorite crayons.

These helpers send messages to your brain through tiny wires called nerves. Your brain then puts all those messages together so you can tell what you’re looking at, whether it's a friend’s face or a big, juicy ice cream cone!