Eye's response to electromagnetic (light) waves?

[Hank Kolesnik]

Does the eye's retina, rods and cones detect the E or B or both components of a lightwave? I've not been able to find much Googling.
Thanks
Hank

 

[sophiecentaur]

It's a photon (quantum) interaction so that's the best way to describe the event, rather than in terms of waves.

 

[kuruman]

I believe the eye detects photon energy, not EM fields. If you don't like photons, then the eye responds to the average energy deposited by the EM fields. Don't forget that in the visible range these fields change direction about 10¹⁴ times a second. Did you come across this article when you searched?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoreceptor_cell

 

[Hank Kolesnik]

Thanks for the quantum and wikipedia comments. Since I didn't use the word photoreceptor I wasn't successful. I guess I was too Maxwellian. That wiki article is fascinating along with the great illustrations. Now I can really appreciate my vision.