Are cones considered part of the refractive media of the eye?

Cones are not considered part of the refractive media of the eye. The refractive media primarily consists of structures such as the cornea, aqueous humor, lens, and vitreous humor, which all play a critical role in bending light to focus images on the retina. Cones, on the other hand, are photoreceptor cells located in the retina that are responsible for detecting light and contributing to vision, particularly in color perception and visual acuity. While they are essential for processing visual information, they do not function to refract light; rather, they respond to light stimuli that have already been focused by the refractive structures of the eye.