Staining of Blue-Sensitive Cones of the Macaque Retina by a Fluorescent Dye

Abstract

Intravitreal injection of a fluorescent dye, Procion yellow, results in the complete and systematic staining of a cone population in the monkey retina. These cones form an approximately regular array whose separation varies with retinal eccentricity. They are absent in the very center of the fovea, and their density peaks at 1 degree. The distribution of stained cones resembles that reported for blue-sensitive cones of other primates and, consistent with such an identification, they are found with less incidence in species having lower concentrations of blue cones.