| Presence in the Retina |
More numerous (about 20 times more than cones) |
Less numerous |
| Location in the Retina |
Predominantly in the peripheral regions of the retina |
Concentrated in the central region of the retina (fovea) |
| Sensitivity to Light |
Highly sensitive to low light levels |
Less sensitive to low light, more active in bright light |
| Nature of vision |
Scotopic vision |
Photopic vision |
| Function |
Predominantly involved in peripheral and night vision |
Predominantly responsible for central and color vision |
| Visual Acuity |
Lower visual acuity (less ability to discern fine details) |
Higher visual acuity (better ability to discern fine details) |
| Color Sensitivity |
Mostly achromatic (sensitive to shades of light and dark) |
Responsible for color vision (trichromatic vision) |
| Pigment Type |
Rhodopsin |
Photopsin which is a visual pigments specific to different cones |
| Adaptation to Bright Light |
Slow adaptation |
Rapid adaptation |
| Recovery Time after Light Exposure |
Have a longer recovery time after exposure to bright light |
Shorter recovery time after exposure to bright light |
| Role in Dim Light Conditions |
Main photoreceptors in low-light conditions |
Limited function in low-light conditions |
| Role in Daylight Conditions |
Less active in well-lit conditions |
Main photoreceptors in well-lit conditions |
