Some quantitative aspects of the cat's eye: axis and plane of reference, visual field co‐ordinates and optics

The present study grew out of an investigation into the projection of the visual fields on the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) in the cat. The new methods we have developed for studying this projection using single-unit recording and the precision we have found in the projection itself directed our attention to many of the basic problems inherent in the idea of topographical localization in the visual system. The present paper is concerned with an examination of these problems particularly as they pertain to the eye. The nature of the projection of the visual fields on the LGN will be described in the following paper (Bishop, Kozak, Levick & Vakkur, 1962). In order to describe a direction in the visual field a suitable system of co-ordinates is required, the direction being defined in terms of angles from a reference axis and plane. Under experimental conditions the visual field will consist of a tangent screen or perimeter. In addition, the reference axis and plane of the visual field co-ordinate system must be defined in relation to the projection of retinal landmarks into the visual field. Unless this is the case the nature of the projection of the visual fields on to the brain centres will vary with the position of the eyes. Thus the orientation of the eyeballs should be known and for this purpose an axis and plane of reference for the eye must be defined in relation to appropriate retinal landmarks. Even before the development of vision the direction of gravity provided the vertical co-ordinate as the basic reference for the orientation of the organism in its environment. The development of vision, particularly binocular vision, has added a second fundamental reference, namely the horizontal co-ordinate determined visually from the horizon. The direction of gravity and the plane of the horizon are the axis and plane of reference used by the animal in its interpretation of the visual world. If our system

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