Meridional variations in visual acuity and eye movements during fixation.

An attempt was made to evaluate the contribution of eye movements to meridional variations in visual acuity. The threshold background luminance was determined for the detection of a fine wire at different orientations and exposure durations. In addition, eye movements were recorded under comparable conditions in order to ascertain the magnitude of relative motion that retinal images of such wires undergo due to eye movements. It was found that acuity varies as a function of line orientation in a similar manner with all exposure durations. Differences in the effect of line orientation with different exposure duration appear to be unrelated to the variations in retinal image motion due to eye movements during fixation. It was concluded that for most individuals, the directional nonuniformity of eye movements during fixation is not sufficient to play any role whatever in the meridional variations in the visibility of visual detail.

[1]  M. M. Taylor,et al.  Effect of orientation on the visibility of fine wires. , 1958, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[2]  H. Leibowitz,et al.  Some observations and theory on the variation of visual acuity with the orientation of the test object. , 1953, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[3]  R. W. Ditchburn,et al.  Vision with controlled movements of the retinal image , 1959, The Journal of physiology.

[4]  S. Shlaer.  THE RELATION BETWEEN VISUAL ACUITY AND ILLUMINATION , 1937, The Journal of general physiology.

[5]  J NACHMIAS,et al.  Two-dimensional motion of the retinal image during monocular fixation. , 1959, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[6]  G. C. Higgins,et al.  Variation of Visual Acuity with Various Test-Object Orientations and Viewing Conditions* , 1950 .

[7]  R. W. Ditchburn,et al.  The Stabilised Retinal Image , 1955 .

[8]  W. R. Bush,et al.  Foveal light adaptation as affected by the spectral composition of the test and adapting stimuli. , 1955, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[9]  M. M. Taylor,et al.  Effect of length on the visibility of a fine line. , 1959, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[10]  L. Riggs,et al.  The disappearance of steadily fixated visual test objects. , 1953, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[11]  L A RIGGS,et al.  Visual effects of varying the extent of compensation for eye movements. , 1959, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[12]  J. Nachmias.  Brightness and visual acuity with intermittent illumination. , 1958, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[13]  J. Krauskopf,et al.  Effect of retinal image motion on contrast thresholds for maintained vision. , 1957, Journal of the Optical Society of America.