Which term describes the sloping of the retinal layers within the macula that marks the boundary between the fovea and parafovea?

• A. Fovea
• B. Clivus
• C. Parafovea
• D. Retina

Answer: (B)

The boundary between the fovea and parafovea is defined by the slope of the retinal layers at the macula, and that sloping transition is described as the clivus. This term captures how the inner retinal layers bend as you move from the fovea into the parafovea, marking the transitional zone central to macular anatomy. The fovea itself is the central pit with a high density of cones; the parafovea surrounds it, but the specific descriptor for the sloping boundary between them is clivus. The other terms refer to broader structures—the fovea is the central pit, parafovea the surrounding area, and retina the tissue as a whole—so they don’t denote this transitional slope.