Describe ways in which a confocal microscope works differently from a light microscope?

In a light microscope, the entire specimen is flooded in light from a light source. All parts of the specimen in the optical path are visible as background signal. In contrast, a confocal microscope uses point illumination and a pinhole in an optically conjugate plane in front of the detector to eliminate out-of-focus information - the name "confocal" stems from this configuration. As only light produced very close to the focal plane can be detected. The images of each plane then embled together to form a 3D image using a computer. The image from a light microscope does not require a computer.