Photopic Vision

Photopic Vision is optimized for bright environments, generally enabled by Cone Cells in vertebrates. With Scotopic Vision, they make up both halves of the Duplex Retina.

Photopic Vision is usually used at daytime by humans, though also functions at night in the presence of artificial light. Cone cells are less sensitive to light than Rod Cells, so when the environment is too dark, the limited number of photons do not excite a Cone Cell, and the Photopic Vision is inactive.

Unlike Scotopic Vision, which is almost always monochromatic, Photopic Vision in humans and the majority of vertebrates concerns multiple classes of Cone Cells that have different Peak Wavelengths, thereby contributing to Opponent Channels and the perception of color.

See also Mesopic Vision.