The retinal pigment epithelium is a critical tissue within the eye it lies directly behind the retina where it provides metabolic support to the photoreceptors and controls their local. Function the rpe has several functions 4 namely light absorption epithelial transport spatial ion buffering visual cycle phagocytosis secretion and immune modulation light absorption rpe are responsible for absorbing scattered light. The retinal pigment epithelium is a critical tissue within the eye it lies directly behind the retina where it provides metabolic support to the photoreceptors and controls their local environment as a result the rpe is vital to retinal function but also a site of aging and disease that cause dysfunction and visual loss. Retinal pigment epithelium in health and disease highlights new findings of rpe research and includes the state of the art knowledge of each rpe topic presented this important feature sets this book apart from other publications with the chapters following a design which leads from the general to the specific to give a precise collection of the facts known