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da Costa D, Kornemann L, Goebel R, Senden M. Convolutional neural networks develop major organizational principles of early visual cortex when enhanced with retinal sampling. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8980. [PMID: 38637554 PMCID: PMC11026486 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59376-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Primate visual cortex exhibits key organizational principles: cortical magnification, eccentricity-dependent receptive field size and spatial frequency tuning as well as radial bias. We provide compelling evidence that these principles arise from the interplay of the non-uniform distribution of retinal ganglion cells, and a quasi-uniform convergence rate from the retina to the cortex. We show that convolutional neural networks outfitted with a retinal sampling layer, which resamples images according to retinal ganglion cell density, develop these organizational principles. Surprisingly, our results indicate that radial bias is spatial-frequency dependent and only manifests for high spatial frequencies. For low spatial frequencies, the bias shifts towards orthogonal orientations. These findings introduce a novel hypothesis about the origin of radial bias. Quasi-uniform convergence limits the range of spatial frequencies (in retinal space) that can be resolved, while retinal sampling determines the spatial frequency content throughout the retina.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danny da Costa
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - Lukas Kornemann
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- University of Bonn, Regina-Pacis-Weg 3, 53113, Bonn, Germany
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Mario Senden
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 EV, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
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Broda MD, de Haas B. Individual differences in human gaze behavior generalize from faces to objects. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322149121. [PMID: 38470925 PMCID: PMC10963009 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322149121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Individuals differ in where they fixate on a face, with some looking closer to the eyes while others prefer the mouth region. These individual biases are highly robust, generalize from the lab to the outside world, and have been associated with social cognition and associated disorders. However, it is unclear, whether these biases are specific to faces or influenced by domain-general mechanisms of vision. Here, we juxtaposed these hypotheses by testing whether individual face fixation biases generalize to inanimate objects. We analyzed >1.8 million fixations toward faces and objects in complex natural scenes from 405 participants tested in multiple labs. Consistent interindividual differences in fixation positions were highly inter-correlated across faces and objects in all samples. Observers who fixated closer to the eye region also fixated higher on inanimate objects and vice versa. Furthermore, the inter-individual spread of fixation positions scaled with target size in precisely the same, non-linear manner for faces and objects. These findings contradict a purely domain-specific account of individual face gaze. Instead, they suggest significant domain-general contributions to the individual way we look at faces, a finding with potential relevance for basic vision, face perception, social cognition, and associated clinical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Davide Broda
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen35394, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg, Giessen, and Darmstadt, Marburg35032, Germany
| | - Benjamin de Haas
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen35394, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg, Giessen, and Darmstadt, Marburg35032, Germany
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Hunter AML, Anderson RS, Redmond T, Garway-Heath DF, Mulholland PJ. Investigating the Spatiotemporal Summation of Perimetric Stimuli in Dry Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023; 12:37. [PMID: 38019498 PMCID: PMC10691387 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.12.11.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose To measure achromatic spatial, temporal, and spatiotemporal summation in dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to healthy controls under conditions of photopic gaze-contingent perimetry. Methods Twenty participants with dry AMD (mean age, 74.6 years) and 20 healthy controls (mean age, 67.8 years) performed custom, gaze-contingent perimetry tests. An area-modulation test generated localized estimates of Ricco's area (RA) at 2.5° and 5° eccentricities along the 0°, 90°, 180°, and 270° meridians. Contrast thresholds were measured at the same test locations for stimuli of six durations (3.7-190.4 ms) with a Goldmann III stimulus (GIII, 0.43°) and RA-scaled stimuli. The upper limit (critical duration) of complete temporal summation (using the GIII stimulus) and spatiotemporal summation (using the RA stimuli) was estimated using iterative two-phase regression analysis. Results Median (interquartile range [IQR]) RA estimates were significantly larger in AMD participants (2.5°: 0.21 [0.09-0.41] deg2; 5°: 0.32 [0.15-0.65 deg2]) compared to healthy controls (2.5°: 0.08 [0.05-0.13] deg2; 5°: 0.15 [0.08-0.22] deg2) at all test locations (all P < 0.05). No significant difference in median critical duration was found in AMD participants with the GIII stimulus (19.6 [9.9-30.4] ms) and RA-scaled stimuli (22.9 [13.9-40.3] ms) compared to healthy controls (GIII: 17.0 [11.3-24.0] ms; RA-scaled: 22.4 [14.3-33.1] ms) at all test locations (all P > 0.05). Conclusions Spatial summation is altered in dry AMD, without commensurate changes in temporal summation. Translational Relevance The sensitivity of perimetry to AMD may be improved by utilizing stimuli that probe alterations in spatial summation in the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoife M. L. Hunter
- Centre for Optometry and Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - Roger S. Anderson
- Centre for Optometry and Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Tony Redmond
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - David F. Garway-Heath
- National Institute for Health Research Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Pádraig J. Mulholland
- Centre for Optometry and Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
- National Institute for Health Research Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
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Montesano G, Redmond T, Mulholland PJ, Garway-Heath DF, Ometto G, Romano D, Antonacci F, Tanga L, Carnevale C, Rossetti LM, Crabb DP, Oddone F. Spatial Summation in the Glaucomatous Macula: A Link With Retinal Ganglion Cell Damage. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:36. [PMID: 38010697 PMCID: PMC10683773 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.14.36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose The purpose of this study was to test whether functional loss in the glaucomatous macula is characterized by an enlargement of Ricco's area (RA) through the application of a computational model linking retinal ganglion cell (RGC) damage to perimetric sensitivity. Methods One eye from each of 29 visually healthy subjects <40 years old, 30 patients with glaucoma, and 20 age-similar controls was tested with a 10-2 grid with stimuli of 5 different area sizes. Structural estimates of point-wise RGC density were obtained from optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans. Structural and functional data from the young healthy cohort were used to estimate the parameters of a computational spatial summation model to generate a template. The template was fitted with a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the latent RGC density in patients with glaucoma and age-matched controls. We tested two alternative hypotheses: fitting the data by translating the template horizontally (H1: change in RA) or vertically (H2: loss of sensitivity without a change in RA). Root mean squared error (RMSE) of the model fits to perimetric sensitivity were compared. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals were bootstrapped. The dynamic range of the functional and structural RGC density estimates was denoted by their 1st and 99th percentiles. Results The RMSE was 2.09 (95% CI = 1.92-2.26) under H1 and 2.49 (95% CI = 2.24-2.72) under H2 (P < 0.001). The average dynamic range for the structural RGC density estimates was only 11% that of the functional estimates. Conclusions Macular sensitivity loss in glaucoma is better described by a model in which RA changes with RGC loss. Structural measurements have limited dynamic range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Montesano
- City, University of London, Optometry and Visual Sciences, London, United Kingdom
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Tony Redmond
- School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Pádraig J. Mulholland
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
- Centre for Optometry and Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, United Kingdom
| | - David F. Garway-Heath
- NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni Ometto
- City, University of London, Optometry and Visual Sciences, London, United Kingdom
| | - Dario Romano
- ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Eye Clinic – University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Federica Antonacci
- ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Eye Clinic – University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Luca M. Rossetti
- ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Eye Clinic – University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - David P. Crabb
- City, University of London, Optometry and Visual Sciences, London, United Kingdom
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Hunter AML, Anderson RS, Redmond T, Garway-Heath DF, Mulholland PJ. Investigating the linkage between mesopic spatial summation and variations in retinal ganglion cell density across the central visual field. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2023; 43:1179-1189. [PMID: 37118942 DOI: 10.1111/opo.13158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE The relationship between perimetric stimulus area and Ricco's area (RA) determines measured thresholds and the sensitivity of perimetry to retinal disease. The nature of this relationship, in addition to effect of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) number on this, is currently unknown for the adaptation conditions of mesopic microperimetry. In this study, achromatic mesopic spatial summation was measured across the central visual field to estimate RA with the number of RGCs underlying RA also being established. METHODS Achromatic luminance thresholds were measured for six incremental spot stimuli (0.009-2.07 deg2 ) and 190.4 ms duration, at four locations, each at 2.5°, 5° and 10° eccentricity in five healthy observers (mean age 61.4 years) under mesopic conditions (background 1.58 cd/m2 ). RA was estimated using two-phase regression analysis with the number of RGCs underlying RA being calculated using normative histological RGC counts. RESULTS Ricco's area exhibited a small but statistically insignificant increase between 2.5° and 10° eccentricity. Compared with photopic conditions, RA was larger, with the difference between RA and the Goldmann III stimulus (0.43°) being minimised. RGC number underlying RA was also higher than reported for photopic conditions (median 70 cells, IQR 36-93), with no significant difference being observed across test locations. CONCLUSIONS Ricco's area and the number of RGCs underlying RA do not vary significantly across the central visual field in mesopic conditions. However, RA is larger and more similar to the standard perimetric Goldmann III stimulus under mesopic compared with photopic adaptation conditions. Further work is required to determine if compensatory enlargements in RA occur in age-related macular degeneration, to establish the optimal stimulus parameters for AMD-specific microperimetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aoife M L Hunter
- Centre for Optometry and Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
| | - Roger S Anderson
- Centre for Optometry and Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Tony Redmond
- School of Optometry & Vision Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - David F Garway-Heath
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
| | - Pádraig J Mulholland
- Centre for Optometry and Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research Institute, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK
- National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and University College London Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK
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Huang Y, Liu Z, Wang M, Gao L, Wu Y, Hu J, Zhang Z, Yan FF, Deng D, Huang CB, Yu M. Cortical Reorganization After Optical Alignment in Strabismic Patients Outside of Critical Period. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:5. [PMID: 37535007 PMCID: PMC10408769 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.11.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To measure visual crowding, an essential bottleneck on object recognition and reliable psychophysical index of cortex organization, in older children and adults with horizontal concomitant strabismus before and after strabismus surgery. METHODS Using real-time eye tracking to ensure gaze-contingent display, we examined the peripheral visual crowding effects in older children and adults with horizontal concomitant strabismus but without amblyopia before and after strabismus surgery. Patients were asked to discriminate the orientation of the central tumbling E target letter with flankers arranged along the radial or tangential axis in the nasal or temporal hemifield at different eccentricities (5° or 10°). The critical spacing value, which is the minimum space between the target and the flankers required for correct discrimination, was obtained for comparisons before and after strabismus surgery. RESULTS Twelve individuals with exotropia (6 males, 21.75 ± 7.29 years, mean ± SD) and 15 individuals with esotropia (6 males, 24.13 ± 5.96 years) participated in this study. We found that strabismic individuals showed significantly larger critical spacing with nasotemporal asymmetry along the radial axis that related to the strabismus pattern, with exotropes exhibiting stronger temporal field crowding and esotropes exhibiting stronger nasal field crowding before surgical alignment. After surgery, the critical spacing was reduced and rebalanced between the nasal and temporal hemifields. Furthermore, the postoperative recovery of stereopsis was associated with the extent of nasotemporal balance of critical spacing. CONCLUSIONS We find that optical realignment (i.e., strabismus surgery) can normalize the enlarged visual crowding effects, a reliable psychophysical index of cortical organization, in the peripheral visual field of older children and adults with strabismus and rebalance the nasotemporal asymmetry of crowding, promoting the recovery of postoperative stereopsis. Our results indicated a potential of experience-dependent cortical organization after axial alignment even for individuals who are out of the critical period of visual development, illuminating the capacity and limitations of optics on sensory plasticity and emphasizing the importance of ocular correction for clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiru Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zitian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mingqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Le Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanyan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingyi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Fang-Fang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Daming Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chang-Bing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Minbin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Kurzawski JW, Burchell A, Thapa D, Winawer J, Majaj NJ, Pelli DG. The Bouma law accounts for crowding in 50 observers. J Vis 2023; 23:6. [PMID: 37540179 PMCID: PMC10408772 DOI: 10.1167/jov.23.8.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Crowding is the failure to recognize an object due to surrounding clutter. Our visual crowding survey measured 13 crowding distances (or "critical spacings") twice in each of 50 observers. The survey includes three eccentricities (0, 5, and 10 deg), four cardinal meridians, two orientations (radial and tangential), and two fonts (Sloan and Pelli). The survey also tested foveal acuity, twice. Remarkably, fitting a two-parameter model-the well-known Bouma law, where crowding distance grows linearly with eccentricity-explains 82% of the variance for all 13 × 50 measured log crowding distances, cross-validated. An enhanced Bouma law, with factors for meridian, crowding orientation, target kind, and observer, explains 94% of the variance, again cross-validated. These additional factors reveal several asymmetries, consistent with previous reports, which can be expressed as crowding-distance ratios: 0.62 horizontal:vertical, 0.79 lower:upper, 0.78 right:left, 0.55 tangential:radial, and 0.78 Sloan-font:Pelli-font. Across our observers, peripheral crowding is independent of foveal crowding and acuity. Evaluation of the Bouma factor, b (the slope of the Bouma law), as a biomarker of visual health would be easier if there were a way to compare results across crowding studies that use different methods. We define a standardized Bouma factor b' that corrects for differences from Bouma's 25 choice alternatives, 75% threshold criterion, and linearly symmetric flanker placement. For radial crowding on the right meridian, the standardized Bouma factor b' is 0.24 for this study, 0.35 for Bouma (1970), and 0.30 for the geometric mean across five representative modern studies, including this one, showing good agreement across labs, including Bouma's. Simulations, confirmed by data, show that peeking can skew estimates of crowding (e.g., greatly decreasing the mean or doubling the SD of log b). Using gaze tracking to prevent peeking, individual differences are robust, as evidenced by the much larger 0.08 SD of log b across observers than the mere 0.03 test-retest SD of log b measured in half an hour. The ease of measurement of crowding enhances its promise as a biomarker for dyslexia and visual health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan W Kurzawski
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Augustin Burchell
- Cognitive Science & Computer Science, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA, USA
| | - Darshan Thapa
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Winawer
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Najib J Majaj
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Denis G Pelli
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, USA
- Center for Neural Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA
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Huang Y, Liu Z, Chen Z, Zhan Z, Gao L, Hu J, Wu Y, Yan FF, Deng D, Huang CB, Yu M. Visual Crowding Reveals Field- and Axis-Specific Cortical Miswiring After Long-Term Axial Misalignment in Strabismic Patients Without Amblyopia. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2023; 64:10. [PMID: 36652265 PMCID: PMC9855284 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.64.1.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Inspired by physiological and neuroimaging findings that revealed squint-induced modification of cortical volume and visual receptive field in early visual areas, we hypothesized that strabismic eyes without amblyopia manifest an increase in critical spacing of visual crowding, an essential bottleneck on object recognition and reliable psychophysical index of cortical organization. Methods We used real-time eye tracking to ensure gaze-contingent display and examined visual crowding in patients with horizontal concomitant strabismus (both esotropia and exotropia) but without amblyopia and age-matched normal controls. Results Nineteen patients with exotropia (12 men, mean ± SD = 22.89 ± 7.82 years), 21 patients with esotropia (10 men, mean ± SD = 23.48 ± 6.95 years), and 14 age-matched normal controls (7 men, mean ± SD = 23.07 ± 1.07 years) participated in this study. We found that patients with strabismus without amblyopia showed significantly larger critical spacing with nasotemporal asymmetry in only the radial axis that related to the strabismus pattern, with exotropia exhibiting stronger temporal hemifield crowding and esotropia exhibiting stronger nasal hemifield crowding, in both the deviated and fixating eyes. Moreover, the magnitude of crowding change was related to the duration and degree of strabismic deviation. Conclusions Using visual crowding as a psychophysical index of cortical organization, our study demonstrated significantly greater peripheral visual crowding with nasotemporal asymmetry in only the radial axis in patients with strabismus without amblyopia, indicating the existence of hemifield- and axis-specific miswiring of cortical processing in object recognition induced by long-term adaptation to ocular misalignment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiru Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zitian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zidong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zongyi Zhan
- Shenzhen Eye Hospital, Shenzhen Eye Institute, Shenzhen Eye Hospital affiliated to Jinan University, Shenzhen, China,School of Optometry, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Le Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jingyi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yanyan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Fang-Fang Yan
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Daming Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Chang-Bing Huang
- Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China,Department of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Minbin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Babino D, Benster T, Laprell L, Van Gelder RN. Assessment of Murine Retinal Acuity Ex Vivo Using Multielectrode Array Recordings. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2023; 12:4. [PMID: 36598460 PMCID: PMC9832724 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.12.1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Visual acuity, measured by resolution of optotypes on a standard eye chart, is a critical clinical test for function of the visual system in humans. Behavioral tests in animals can be used to estimate visual acuity. However, such tests may be limited in the study of mutants or after synthetic vision restoration techniques. Because the total response of the retina to a visual scene is encoded in spiking patterns of retinal ganglion cells, it should be possible to estimate visual acuity in vitro from the retina by analyzing retinal ganglion cell output in response to test stimuli. Methods We created a method, EyeCandy, that combines a visual stimulus-generating engine with analysis of multielectrode array retinal recordings via a machine learning approach to measure murine retinal acuity in vitro. Visual stimuli included static checkerboards, drifting gratings, and letter optotypes. Results In retinas from wild-type C57Bl/6 mice, retinal acuity measurement for a drifting grating was 0.4 cycles per degree. In contrast, retinas from adult rd1 mice with outer retinal degeneration showed no detectable acuity. A comparison of acuities among different regions of the retina revealed substantial variation, with the inferior-nasal quadrant having highest RA. Letter classification accuracy of a projected Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy eye chart reached 99% accuracy for logMAR 3.0 letters. EyeCandy measured a restored RA of 0.05 and 0.08 cycles per degree for static and dynamic stimuli respectively from the retina of the rd1 mouse treated with the azobenzene photoswitch BENAQ. Conclusions Machine learning may be used to estimate retinal acuity. Translational Relevance The use of ex vivo retinal acuity measurement may allow determination of effects of mutations, drugs, injury, or other manipulations on retinal visual function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darwin Babino
- Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tyler Benster
- Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Neurosciences Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Laura Laprell
- Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Russell N. Van Gelder
- Departments of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Biological Structure, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
- Roger and Angie Karalis Johnson Retina Center, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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10
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Broda MD, de Haas B. Individual differences in looking at persons in scenes. J Vis 2022; 22:9. [DOI: 10.1167/jov.22.12.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Davide Broda
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Benjamin de Haas
- Experimental Psychology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
- Center for Mind, Brain and Behavior (CMBB), University of Marburg and Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany
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11
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Stapley V, Anderson RS, Saunders K, Mulholland PJ. Examining the concordance of retinal ganglion cell counts generated using measures of structure and function. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2022; 42:1338-1352. [PMID: 36065739 PMCID: PMC9826349 DOI: 10.1111/opo.13041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE There are several indirect methods used to estimate retinal ganglion cell (RGC) count in an individual eye, but there is limited information as to the agreement between these methods. In this work, RGC receptive field (RGC-RF) count underlying a spot stimulus (0.43°, Goldmann III) was calculated and compared using three different methods. METHODS RGC-RF count was calculated at a retinal eccentricity of 2.32 mm for 44 healthy adult participants (aged 18-58 years, refractive error -9.75 DS to +1.75 DS) using: (i) functional measures of achromatic peripheral grating resolution acuity (PGRA), (ii) structural measures of RGC-layer thickness (OCT-model, based on the method outlined by Raza and Hood) and (iii) scaling published histology density data to simulate a global expansion in myopia (Histology-Balloon). RESULTS Whilst average RGC-RF counts from the OCT-model (median 105.3, IQR 99.6-111.0) and the Histology-Balloon model (median 107.5, IQR 97.7-114.6) were similar, PGRA estimates were approximately 65% lower (median 37.7, IQR 33.8-46.0). However, there was poor agreement between all three methods (Bland-Altman 95% limits of agreement; PGRA/OCT: 55.4; PGRA/Histology-Balloon 59.3; OCT/Histology-Balloon: 52.4). High intersubject variability in RGC-RF count was evident using all three methods. CONCLUSIONS The lower PGRA RGC-RF counts may be the result of targeting only a specific subset of functional RGCs, as opposed to the coarser approach of the OCT-model and Histology-Balloon, which include all RGCs, and also likely displaced amacrine cells. In the absence of a 'ground truth', direct measure of RGC-RF count, it is not possible to determine which method is most accurate, and each has limitations. However, what is clear is the poor agreement found between the methods prevents direct comparison of RGC-RF counts between studies utilising different methodologies and highlights the need to utilise the same method in longitudinal work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Stapley
- Centre for Optometry & Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research InstituteUlster UniversityColeraineUK
| | - Roger S. Anderson
- Centre for Optometry & Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research InstituteUlster UniversityColeraineUK,National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of OphthalmologyLondonUK
| | - Kathryn Saunders
- Centre for Optometry & Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research InstituteUlster UniversityColeraineUK
| | - Pádraig J. Mulholland
- Centre for Optometry & Vision Science, Biomedical Sciences Research InstituteUlster UniversityColeraineUK,National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of OphthalmologyLondonUK
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12
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Shamsi F, Liu R, Kwon M. Foveal crowding appears to be robust to normal aging and glaucoma unlike parafoveal and peripheral crowding. J Vis 2022; 22:10. [PMID: 35848904 PMCID: PMC9308014 DOI: 10.1167/jov.22.8.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual crowding is the inability to recognize a target object in clutter. Previous studies have shown an increase in crowding in both parafoveal and peripheral vision in normal aging and glaucoma. Here, we ask whether there is any increase in foveal crowding in both normal aging and glaucomatous vision. Twenty-four patients with glaucoma and 24 age-matched normally sighted controls (mean age = 65 ± 7 vs. 60 ± 8 years old) participated in this study. For each subject, we measured the extent of foveal crowding using Pelli's foveal crowding paradigm (2016). We found that the average crowding zone was 0.061 degrees for glaucoma and 0.056 degrees for age-matched normal vision, respectively. These values fall into the range of foveal crowding zones (0.0125 degrees to 0.1 degrees) observed in young normal vision. We, however, did not find any evidence supporting increased foveal crowding in glaucoma (p = 0.375), at least in the early to moderate stages of glaucoma. In the light of previous studies on foveal crowding in normal young vision, we did not find any evidence supporting age-related changes in foveal crowding. Even if there is any, the effect appears to be rather inconsequential. Taken together, our findings suggest unlike parafoveal or peripheral crowding (2 degrees, 4 degrees, 8 degrees, and 10 degrees eccentricities), foveal crowding (<0.25 degrees eccentricity) appears to be less vulnerable to normal aging or moderate glaucomatous damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foroogh Shamsi
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,
| | - MiYoung Kwon
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,
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13
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Reuther J, Chakravarthi R, Martinovic J. Masking, crowding, and grouping: Connecting low and mid-level vision. J Vis 2022; 22:7. [PMID: 35147663 PMCID: PMC8842520 DOI: 10.1167/jov.22.2.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
An important task for vision science is to build a unitary framework of low- and mid-level vision. As a step on this way, our study examined differences and commonalities between masking, crowding and grouping—three processes that occur through spatial interactions between neighbouring elements. We measured contrast thresholds as functions of inter-element spacing and eccentricity for Gabor detection, discrimination and contour integration, using a common stimulus grid consisting of nine Gabor elements. From these thresholds, we derived a) the baseline contrast necessary to perform each task and b) the spatial extent over which task performance was stable. This spatial window can be taken as an indicator of field size, where elements that fall within a putative field are readily combined. We found that contrast thresholds were universally modulated by inter-element distance, with a shallower and inverted effect for grouping compared with masking and crowding. Baseline contrasts for detecting stimuli and discriminating their properties were positively linked across the tested retinal locations (parafovea and near periphery), whereas those for integrating elements and discriminating their properties were negatively linked. Meanwhile, masking and crowding spatial windows remained uncorrelated across eccentricity, although they were correlated across participants. This suggests that the computation performed by each type of visual field operates over different distances that co-varies across observers, but not across retinal locations. Contrast-processing units may thus lie at the core of the shared idiosyncrasies across tasks reported in many previous studies, despite the fundamental differences in the extent of their spatial windows.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jasna Martinovic
- School of Psychology, University of Aberdeen, UK.,Department of Psychology, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences, University of Edinburgh, UK.,
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14
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Coates DR, Jiang X, Levi DM, Sabesan R. Cortical distance unifies the extent of parafoveal contour interactions. J Vis 2022; 22:15. [PMID: 35195672 PMCID: PMC8883158 DOI: 10.1167/jov.22.2.15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that crowding, the disruptive influence of flanking items on identification of targets, is the primary limiting factor to object identification in the periphery, while limits in the fovea are more determined by the ability to resolve individual items. Whether this is a dichotomous or merely a quantitative difference, and the transition between these two regimes, has remained unexplained. Here, using an adaptive optics system for optimal control of optical and stimulus factors, we measured threshold acuity for identification of Tumbling Es flanked by bars at a variety of flanker spacings and eight eccentricities in the parafovea. Thresholds at each eccentricity were influenced by resolution, contour interaction, and a saturating pedestal effect. When target-flanker spacing was plotted in terms of cortical distance, a single canonical clipped-line fit unified the resultant curves. The critical spacing for letters flanked by bars was found to be 1.3 to 1.5 cortical millimeters, corresponding to approximately 0.1*E outside the fovea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel R Coates
- College of Optometry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Xiaoyun Jiang
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Dennis M Levi
- Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Ramkumar Sabesan
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
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15
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Shamsi F, Liu R, Kwon M. Binocularly Asymmetric Crowding in Glaucoma and a Lack of Binocular Summation in Crowding. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2022; 63:36. [PMID: 35084432 PMCID: PMC8802025 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.63.1.36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Glaucoma is associated with progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells. Here we investigated the impact of glaucomatous damage on monocular and binocular crowding in parafoveal vision. We also examined the binocular summation of crowding to see if crowding is alleviated under binocular viewing. Methods The study design included 40 individuals with glaucoma and 24 age-similar normal cohorts. For each subject, the magnitude of crowding was determined by the extent of crowding zone. Crowding zone measurements were made binocularly in parafoveal vision (i.e., at 2° and 4° retinal eccentricities) visual field. For a subgroup of glaucoma subjects (n = 17), crowding zone was also measured monocularly for each eye. Results Our results showed that, compared with normal cohorts, individuals with glaucoma exhibited significantly larger crowding—enlargement of crowding zone (an increase by 21%; P < 0.01). Moreover, we also observed a lack of binocular summation (i.e., a binocular ratio of 1): binocular crowding was determined by the better eye. Hence, our results did not provide evidence supporting binocular summation of crowding in glaucomatous vision. Conclusions Our findings show that crowding is exacerbated in parafoveal vision in glaucoma and binocularly asymmetric glaucoma seems to induce binocularly asymmetric crowding. Furthermore, the lack of binocular summation for crowding observed in glaucomatous vision combined with the lack of binocular summation reported in a previous study on normal healthy vision support the view that crowding may start in the early stages of visual processing, at least before the process of binocular integration takes place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foroogh Shamsi
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States.,Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - MiYoung Kwon
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
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16
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Kupers ER, Benson NC, Carrasco M, Winawer J. Asymmetries around the visual field: From retina to cortex to behavior. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1009771. [PMID: 35007281 PMCID: PMC8782511 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1009771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual performance varies around the visual field. It is best near the fovea compared to the periphery, and at iso-eccentric locations it is best on the horizontal, intermediate on the lower, and poorest on the upper meridian. The fovea-to-periphery performance decline is linked to the decreases in cone density, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) density, and V1 cortical magnification factor (CMF) as eccentricity increases. The origins of polar angle asymmetries are not well understood. Optical quality and cone density vary across the retina, but recent computational modeling has shown that these factors can only account for a small percentage of behavior. Here, we investigate how visual processing beyond the cone photon absorptions contributes to polar angle asymmetries in performance. First, we quantify the extent of asymmetries in cone density, midget RGC density, and V1 CMF. We find that both polar angle asymmetries and eccentricity gradients increase from cones to mRGCs, and from mRGCs to cortex. Second, we extend our previously published computational observer model to quantify the contribution of phototransduction by the cones and spatial filtering by mRGCs to behavioral asymmetries. Starting with photons emitted by a visual display, the model simulates the effect of human optics, cone isomerizations, phototransduction, and mRGC spatial filtering. The model performs a forced choice orientation discrimination task on mRGC responses using a linear support vector machine classifier. The model shows that asymmetries in a decision maker's performance across polar angle are greater when assessing the photocurrents than when assessing isomerizations and are greater still when assessing mRGC signals. Nonetheless, the polar angle asymmetries of the mRGC outputs are still considerably smaller than those observed from human performance. We conclude that cone isomerizations, phototransduction, and the spatial filtering properties of mRGCs contribute to polar angle performance differences, but that a full account of these differences will entail additional contribution from cortical representations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eline R. Kupers
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Neural Sciences, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Noah C. Benson
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Neural Sciences, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Marisa Carrasco
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Neural Sciences, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Winawer
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Center for Neural Sciences, New York University, New York, New York, United States of America
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17
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Shamsi F, Chen V, Liu R, Pergher V, Kwon M. Functional Field of View Determined by Crowding, Aging, or Glaucoma Under Divided Attention. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:14. [PMID: 34910102 PMCID: PMC8684310 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.14.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Parafoveal or peripheral vision is important for various everyday activities. This is particularly relevant to those who suffer from visual field defects. Here we quantified the effect of visual crowding, normal aging, and glaucoma on the spatial extent of the functional field of view (FFV) under divided attention. Methods Unlike visual acuity measured by single-letter recognition or visual perimetry measured by light spot detection, we measured the FFV using a target letter presented either alone or in letter triplets appearing across the visual field. A subject's task was to report whether the target letter was the same as the letter displayed concurrently at the central fixation region (i.e., divided attention task). Over the trials, a plot of the proportion correct for letter recognition versus target location was constructed, resulting in a visual field map. Results The results obtained from three subject groups—normal young adults, normal older adults, and patients with glaucoma—showed that on average the central 20° visual field was relatively robust to uncrowded target recognition under divided attention. However, the FFV shrunk down to the central 10° visual field when the target appeared in clutter, suggesting a strong crowding effect on FFV. An additional shrinkage of the FFV occurred in the presence of aging and glaucoma. Conclusions Using a quantitative method, we demonstrate that crowding, aging, and glaucoma independently decrease the spatial extent of FFV under divided attention and that crowding seems to be the major contributor limiting FFV. Translational Relevance Our FFV test may complement standard clinical measurements by providing functionally relevant visual field information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Foroogh Shamsi
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Victoria Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Rong Liu
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Life Science and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | | | - MiYoung Kwon
- Department of Psychology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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18
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Abstract
In crowding, perception of a target deteriorates in the presence of nearby flankers. Surprisingly, perception can be rescued from crowding if additional flankers are added (uncrowding). Uncrowding is a major challenge for all classic models of crowding and vision in general, because the global configuration of the entire stimulus is crucial. However, it is unclear which characteristics of the configuration impact (un)crowding. Here, we systematically dissected flanker configurations and showed that (un)crowding cannot be easily explained by the effects of the sub-parts or low-level features of the stimulus configuration. Our modeling results suggest that (un)crowding requires global processing. These results are well in line with previous studies showing the importance of global aspects in crowding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oh-Hyeon Choung
- Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alban Bornet
- Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Adrien Doerig
- Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael H Herzog
- Laboratory of Psychophysics, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
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19
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Sampson DM, Roshandel D, Chew AL, Wang Y, Stevenson PG, Cooper MN, Ong E, Wong L, La J, Alonso-Caneiro D, Chelva E, Khan JC, Sampson DD, Chen FK. Retinal Differential Light Sensitivity Variation Across the Macula in Healthy Subjects: Importance of Cone Separation and Loci Eccentricity. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2021; 10:16. [PMID: 34111262 PMCID: PMC8114004 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.10.6.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Microperimetry measures differential light sensitivity (DLS) at specific retinal locations. The aim of this study is to examine the variation in DLS across the macula and the contribution to this variation of cone distribution metrics and retinal eccentricity. Methods Forty healthy eyes of 40 subjects were examined by microperimetry (MAIA) and adaptive optics imaging (rtx1). Retinal DLS was measured using the grid patterns: foveal (2°–3°), macular (3°–7°), and meridional (2°–8° on horizontal and vertical meridians). Cone density (CD), distribution regularity, and intercone distance (ICD) were calculated at the respective test loci coordinates. Linear mixed-effects regression was used to examine the association between cone distribution metrics and loci eccentricity, and retinal DLS. Results An eccentricity-dependent reduction in DLS was observed on all MAIA grids, which was greatest at the foveal-parafoveal junction (2°–3°) (−0.58 dB per degree, 95% confidence interval [CI]; −0.91 to −0.24 dB, P < 0.01). Retinal DLS across the meridional grid changed significantly with each 1000 cells/deg2 change in CD (0.85 dB, 95% CI; 0.10 to 1.61 dB, P = 0.03), but not with each arcmin change in ICD (1.36 dB, 95% CI; −2.93 to 0.20 dB, P = 0.09). Conclusions We demonstrate significant variation in DLS across the macula. Topographical change in cone separation is an important determinant of the variation in DLS at the foveal-parafoveal junction. We caution the extrapolation of changes in DLS measurements to cone distribution because the relationship between these variables is complex. Translational Relevance Cone density is an independent determinant of DLS in the foveal-parafoveal junction in healthy eyes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danuta M Sampson
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Surrey Biophotonics, Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing and School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
| | - Danial Roshandel
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Avenell L Chew
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Yufei Wang
- Computer Science Department, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Paul G Stevenson
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Matthew N Cooper
- Telethon Kids Institute, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Elaine Ong
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Lawrence Wong
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jonathan La
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David Alonso-Caneiro
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia
| | - Enid Chelva
- Department of Medical Technology and Physics, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jane C Khan
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David D Sampson
- Surrey Biophotonics, School of Physics and School of Biosciences and Medicine, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Fred K Chen
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (Incorporating Lions Eye Institute), The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.,Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
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20
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Abstract
The scientific study of reading has a rich history that spans disciplines from vision science to linguistics, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, neurology, and education. The study of reading can elucidate important general mechanisms in spatial vision, attentional control, object recognition, and perceptual learning, as well as the principles of plasticity and cortical topography. However, literacy also prompts the development of specific neural circuits to process a unique and artificial stimulus. In this review, we describe the sequence of operations that transforms visual features into language, how the key neural circuits are sculpted by experience during development, and what goes awry in children for whom learning to read is a struggle. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Vision Science, Volume 7 is September 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason D Yeatman
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California 93405, USA; .,Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
| | - Alex L White
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California 93405, USA; .,Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.,Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, New York, New York 10027, USA
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21
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Chen M, Nofziger J, Datta R, Gee JC, Morgan J, Aguirre GK. The Influence of Axial Length Upon the Retinal Ganglion Cell Layer of the Human Eye. Transl Vis Sci Technol 2020; 9:9. [PMID: 33344053 PMCID: PMC7726585 DOI: 10.1167/tvst.9.13.9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Variation in retinal thickness with eye size complicates efforts to estimate retinal ganglion cell number from optical coherence tomography (OCT) measures. We examined the relationship among axial length, the thickness and volume of the ganglion cell layer (GCL), and the size of the optic chiasm. Methods We used OCT to measure GCL thickness over 50 degrees of the horizontal meridian in 50 healthy participants with a wide range of axial lengths. Using a model eye informed by individual biometry, we converted GCL thickness to tissue volume per square degree. We also measured the volume of the optic chiasm for 40 participants using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results There is a positive relationship between GCL tissue volume and axial length. Given prior psychophysical results, we conclude that increased axial length is associated with increased retinal ganglion cell size, decreased cell packing, or both. We characterize how retinal ganglion cell tissue varies systematically in volume and spatial distribution as a function of axial length. This model allows us to remove the effect of axial length from individual difference measures of GCL volume. We find that variation in this adjusted GCL volume correlates well with the size of the optic chiasm. Conclusions Our results provide the volume of ganglion cell tissue in the retina, adjusted for the presumed effects of axial length upon ganglion cell size and/or packing. The resulting volume measure accounts for individual differences in the size of the optic chiasm, supporting its use to characterize the post-retinal visual pathway. Translational Relevance Variations in ametropia can confound clinical measures of retinal features. We present a framework within which the thickness and volume of retinal structures can be measured and corrected for the effects of axial length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Chen
- Department of Radiology, Scheie Eye Institute, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jill Nofziger
- Department of Neurology, Scheie Eye Institute, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ritobrato Datta
- Division of Neurology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - James C Gee
- Department of Radiology, Scheie Eye Institute, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jessica Morgan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Scheie Eye Institute, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Center for Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Geoffrey K Aguirre
- Department of Neurology, Scheie Eye Institute, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Threshold vision under full-field stimulation: Revisiting the minimum number of quanta necessary to evoke a visual sensation. Vision Res 2020; 180:1-10. [PMID: 33359896 DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2020.11.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
At the absolute threshold of vision, Hecht, Shlaer and Pirenne estimate that 5-14 photons are absorbed within a retinal area containing ~500 rods. Other estimates of scotopic threshold vision based on stimuli with different durations and focal areas range up to ~100,000 photons. Given that rod density varies with retinal eccentricity and the magnitude of the intrinsic noise increases with increasing stimulus area and duration, here we determine whether the scotopic threshold estimates with focal stimuli can be extended to full-field stimulation and whether summation explains inter-study differences. We show that full-field threshold vision (~1018 mm2, 10 ms duration) is more sensitive than at absolute threshold, requiring the absorption of ~1000 photons across ~91.96 million rods. A summation model is presented integrating our and published data and using a nominal exposure duration, criterion frequency of seeing, rod density, and retinal area that largely explains the inter-study differences and allows estimation of rods per photon ratio for any stimulus size and duration. The highest signal to noise ratio is defined by a peak rod convergence estimated at 53:4:1:2 (rods:rod bipolar cells:AII amacrine cells:retinal ganglion cells), in line with macaque anatomical estimates that show AII amacrine cells form the bottleneck in the rod pathway to set the scotopic visual limit. Our model estimations that the rods per photon ratio under full-field stimulation is ~3000X higher than at absolute threshold are in accordance with visual summation effects and provide an alternative approach for understanding the limits of scotopic vision.
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Strappini F, Martelli M, Cozzo C, di Pace E. Empirical Evidence for Intraspecific Multiple Realization? Front Psychol 2020; 11:1676. [PMID: 32793053 PMCID: PMC7394053 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the remarkable advances in behavioral and brain sciences over the last decades, the mind-body (brain) problem is still an open debate and one of the most intriguing questions for both cognitive neuroscience and philosophy of mind. Traditional approaches have conceived this problem in terms of a contrast between physicalist monism and Cartesian dualism. However, since the late sixties, the landscape of philosophical views on the problem has become more varied and complex. The Multiple Realization Thesis (MRT) claims that mental properties can be (or are) realized, and mental processes can be (or are) implemented by neural correlates of different kinds. Thus, MRT challenges the psychoneural type-identity theory and the corresponding reductionism. Many philosophers have acknowledged the a priori plausibility of MRT. However, the existence of empirical evidence in favor of intraspecific, human multiple realizations of mental processes and properties is still controversial. Here, we illustrate some cases that provide empirical evidence in support of MRT. Recently, it has been proposed that foveal agnosic vision, like peripheral vision, can be restored by increasing object parts’ spacing (Crutch and Warrington, 2007; Strappini et al., 2017b). Agnosic fovea and normal periphery are both limited by crowding, which impairs object recognition, and provides the signature of visual integration. Here, we define a psychological property of restored object identification, and we cross-reference the data of visually impaired patients with different etiologies. In particular, we compare the data of two stroke patients, two patients with posterior cortical atrophy, six cases of strabismic amblyopia, and one case with restored sight. We also compare these patients with unimpaired subjects tested in the periphery. We show that integration (i.e., restored recognition) seems to describe quite accurately the visual performance in all these cases. Whereas the patients have different etiologies and different neural correlates, the unimpaired subjects have no neural damage. Thus, similarity in the psychological property given the differences in the neural substrate can be interpreted in relation to MRT and provide evidence in its support. Finally, we will frame our contribution within the current debate concerning MRT providing new and compelling empirical evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cesare Cozzo
- Department of Philosophy, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Enrico di Pace
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Straßer T, Kurtenbach A, Langrová H, Kuehlewein L, Zrenner E. The perception threshold of the panda illusion, a particular form of 2D pulse-width-modulated halftone, correlates with visual acuity. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13095. [PMID: 32753676 PMCID: PMC7403154 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69952-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
To call attention to the danger of extinction of the panda bear, the Lithuanian artist Ilja Klemencov created the artwork “They can disappear”. The illustration is composed of black-and-white zigzagged lines, which form the famous panda logo of the World Wild Fund For Nature (WWF) when seen from a distance. If one is too close to the artwork, it is difficult to spot the bear, however, if one steps back or takes off one’s glasses the panda suddenly appears. This led us to ask if the ability to see the panda is related to the visual acuity of the observer and if therefore, the panda illusion can be used to assess the spatial resolution of the eye. Here we present the results of the comparison between visual acuity determined using the Landolt C and that predicted from the panda illusion in 23 healthy volunteers with artificially reduced visual acuity. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the panda illusion is based on a 2D pulse-width modulation, explain its technical history, and provide the equations required to create the illusion. Finally, we explain why the illusion indeed can be used to predict visual acuity and discuss the neural causes of its perception with best-corrected visual acuity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torsten Straßer
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 7, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany.
| | - Anne Kurtenbach
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 7, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Hana Langrová
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 7, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany.,University Eye Hospital, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
| | - Laura Kuehlewein
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 7, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany.,University Eye Hospital Tuebingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 5, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Eberhart Zrenner
- Institute for Ophthalmic Research, Centre for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Straße 7, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany.,Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience (CIN), Otfried-Mueller-Str. 25, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany
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Atilgan N, Yu SM, He S. Visual crowding effect in the parvocellular and magnocellular visual pathways. J Vis 2020; 20:6. [PMID: 32749447 PMCID: PMC7438633 DOI: 10.1167/jov.20.8.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The crowding effect, defined as the detrimental effects of nearby items on visual object recognition, has been extensively investigated. Previous studies have primarily focused on finding the stage(s) in the visual hierarchy where crowding starts to limit target processing, while little attention has been focused on potential differences between the parvocellular (P) and magnocellular (M) pathways in crowding mechanisms. Here, we investigated the crowding effect in these parallel visual pathways. InExperiment 1, stimuli were designed to separately engage the P or M pathway, by tuning stimulus and background features (e.g., temporal frequency and color) to activate the targeted pathway and saturate the other pathway, respectively. Results showed that at the same eccentricity and with the same tasks, targets processed in the M pathway appeared to be more vulnerable to crowding effect. InExperiment 2, crowding effects were studied using three different types of stimuli and visual tasks (form, color, and motion), presumably with different degrees of dependence on the P and M pathways. Results revealed that color, motion, and form discrimination were increasingly more affected by crowding. We conclude that processing in the M and P pathways are differentially impacted by crowding; and importantly, crowding seems to affect processing of spatial forms more than other stimulus properties.
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Altered spatial summation optimizes visual function in axial myopia. Sci Rep 2020; 10:12179. [PMID: 32699286 PMCID: PMC7376210 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-67893-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
This study demonstrates significant differences between the area of complete spatial summation (Ricco's area, RA) in eyes with and without non-pathological, axial myopia. Contrast thresholds were measured for six stimuli (0.01-2.07 deg2) presented at 10º eccentricity in 24 myopic subjects and 20 age-similar non-myopic controls, with RA estimated using iterative two-phase regression analysis. To explore the effects of axial length-induced variations in retinal image size (RIS) on the measurement of RA, refractive error was separately corrected with (i) trial lenses at the anterior focal point (near constant inter-participant RIS in mm), and (ii) contact lenses (RIS changed with axial length). For spectacle corrected measurements, RA was significantly larger in the myopic group, with a significant positive correlation also being observed between RA and measures of co-localised peripheral ocular length. With contact lens correction, there was no significant difference in RA between the groups and no relationship with peripheral ocular length. The results suggest RA changes with axial elongation in myopia to compensate for reduced retinal ganglion cell density. Furthermore, as these changes are only observed when axial length induced variations in RIS are accounted for, they may reflect a functional adaptation of the axially-myopic visual system to an enlarged RIS.
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Liu R, Kwon M. Increased Equivalent Input Noise in Glaucomatous Central Vision: Is it Due to Undersampling of Retinal Ganglion Cells? Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2020; 61:10. [PMID: 32645132 PMCID: PMC7425734 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.61.8.10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Recent evidence shows that macular damage is common even in early stages of glaucoma. Here we investigated whether contrast sensitivity loss in the central vision of glaucoma patients is due to an increase in equivalent input noise (Neq), a decrease in calculation efficiency, or both. We also examined how retinal undersampling resulting from loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) may affect Neq and calculation efficiency. Methods This study included 21 glaucoma patients and 23 age-matched normally sighted individuals. Threshold contrast for orientation discrimination was measured with a sinewave grating embedded in varying levels of external noise. Data were fitted to the linear amplifier model (LAM) to factor contrast sensitivity into Neq and calculation efficiency. We also correlated macular RGC counts estimated from structural (spectral-domain optical coherence tomography) and functional (standard automated perimetry Swedish interactive thresholding algorithm 10-2) data with either Neq or efficiency. Furthermore, using analytical and computer simulation approach, the relative effect of retinal undersampling on Neq and efficiency was evaluated by adding the RGC sampling module into the LAM. Results Compared with normal controls, glaucoma patients exhibited a significantly larger Neq without significant difference in efficiency. Neq was significantly correlated with Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity and macular RGC counts. The results from analytical derivation and model simulation further demonstrated that Neq can be expressed as a function of internal noise and retinal sampling. Conclusions Our results showed that equivalent input noise is significantly elevated in glaucomatous vision, thereby impairing foveal contrast sensitivity. Our findings further elucidated how undersampling at the retinal level may increase equivalent input noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
| | - MiYoung Kwon
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, United States
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Sun Q, Huang FC, Wei LY, Luebke D, Kaufman A, Kim J. Eccentricity effects on blur and depth perception. OPTICS EXPRESS 2020; 28:6734-6739. [PMID: 32225914 DOI: 10.1364/oe.28.006734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Foveation and (de)focus are two important visual factors in designing near eye displays. Foveation can reduce computational load by lowering display details towards the visual periphery, while focal cues can reduce vergence-accommodation conflict thereby lessening visual discomfort in using near eye displays. We performed two psychophysical experiments to investigate the relationship between foveation and focus cues. The first study measured blur discrimination sensitivity as a function of visual eccentricity, where we found discrimination thresholds significantly lower than previously reported. The second study measured depth discrimination threshold where we found a clear dependency on visual eccentricity. We discuss the study results and suggest further investigation.
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Siderov J, Pluháček F, Bedell HE. Upturn of the contour-interaction function at small flanking bar-to-target separations. Vision Res 2020; 167:1-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.visres.2019.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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