The retina is a layer of nerve cells lining the back wall of the eye. If you think of the eye as a camera, the retina functions as the film of the camera. The retina layer senses light and sends signals to the brain so you can see. Cells called photoreceptors are densely concentrated in the macula and these cells from the center of your visual field. The cells in the macula transmit information to the optic nerve, which transmits information for visual processing to the brain. Retinal diseases can affect the area of the retina that serves your central vision and many retinal diseases share common symptoms and treatments. The goal of retinal disease treatments is to stop or slow disease progression and to preserve, improve, or restore vision.