Optical image quality and the cone mosaic.

Contrary to the orthodox view that optical image quality should "match" the photoreceptor grain, anatomical data from the eyes of various animals suggest that the image quality is significantly superior to the potential resolution of the cone mosaic in most retinal regions. A new theory is presented to explain the existence of this relation and to better appreciate eye design. It predicts that photoreceptors are potentially visible through the natural optics.

[1]  W. S. Jagger Visibility of photoreceptors in the intact living cane toad eye , 1985, Vision Research.

[2]  F. Campbell,et al.  Optical quality of the human eye , 1966, The Journal of physiology.

[3]  R. H. Steinberg,et al.  The distribution of rods and cones in the retina of the cat (Felis domesticus) , 1973, The Journal of comparative neurology.

[4]  W. Charman,et al.  Off-axis image quality in the human eye , 1981, Vision Research.

[5]  C. Enroth-Cugell,et al.  Light distribution in the cat's retinal image , 1978, Vision Research.

[6]  W. H. Miller,et al.  Photoreceptor diameter and spacing for highest resolving power. , 1977, Journal of the Optical Society of America.

[7]  John I. Yellott,et al.  Image sampling properties of photoreceptors: A reply to Miller and Bernard , 1984, Vision Research.

[8]  J. Yellott Spectral consequences of photoreceptor sampling in the rhesus retina. , 1983, Science.

[9]  Allan W. Snyder,et al.  Information capacity of eyes , 1977, Vision Research.

[10]  J. Hirsch,et al.  Quality of the primate photoreceptor lattice and limits of spatial vision , 1984, Vision Research.

[11]  J. Yellott Spectral analysis of spatial sampling by photoreceptors: Topological disorder prevents aliasing , 1982, Vision Research.

[12]  A. Hughes,et al.  Chapter 9 New perspectives in retinal organisation , 1985 .

[13]  Michael F. Land,et al.  Cone mosaic observed directly through natural pupil of live vertebrate , 1985, Vision Research.

[14]  A. Hughes Cat retina and the sampling theorem; the relation of transient and sustained brisk-unit cut-off frequency to α and β-mode cell density , 2004, Experimental Brain Research.

[15]  T. R. J. Bossomaier,et al.  Irregularity and aliasing: Solution? , 1985, Vision Research.