photoreceptor cells
"The retina is the layer of photoreceptor cells that make up the very back of the eye. In many ways, the retina works like a digital camera*. The photoreceptor cells are like individual pixels, and the brain puts all these pixels together to make a single image."
"How a retinal prosthesis works. Photoreceptor cells are like tiny cameras in the retina that convert light to electrical signals and send them to the brain. These cells are killed by diseases like macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa, causing loss of vision."

METAMIA is a free database of analogy and metaphor. Anyone can contribute or search. The subject matter can be anything. Science is popular, but poetry is encouraged. The goal is to integrate our fluid muses with the stark literalism of a relational database. Metamia is like a girdle for your muses, a cognitive girdle.