The Fovea is where the specialized cells that allow us to see in color are located. These cells are the Cone cells. The Fovea is tightly packed with cone cells. Most of the rest of the Retina is made up of Rod Cells. Rod cells help us differentiate shades of white and black.
Rod cells are responsible for our night vision.
Rod cells and cone cells represent a class of cells known as Photoreceptor cells. The Photoreceptors of the retina house molecules of visual pigment. When light is focused on a Photoreceptor, the energy of the light breaks down the visual pigment molecules within the Photoreceptor into simpler molecules. The breakdown of the molecules triggers an impulse. The Rod and Cone cells are attached to nerve cells.