The Anatomical, Functional and Perceived Location of the Fovea in the Human Visual System

Kilpeläinen, Markku; Putnam, Nicole; Ratnam, Kavitha; Roorda, Austin

doi:10.2139/ssrn.3699785

Cited by 3 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…There was no difference in the PRL location between conditions for any subject (p-value <0.001 in each of the 5 conditions and 8 subjects). This is in agreement and extends on the finding that the PRL for a static Maltese cross target remains stable between days (Kilpeläinen, Putnam, Ratnam, & Roorda, 2020).…”

Section: Global Eye Movement Statisticssupporting

confidence: 91%

“…The stability of the PRL was tested using a 2-dimensional Kolmonorov-Smirnov test and was found to remain the same regardless of the fixation target. This extends on a recent report that the PRL for a Maltese cross target does not change between hours and across days (Kilpeläinen et al, 2020). However, the possible shifts in the location of the PRL have not been investigated for binocular viewing conditions or for more complex viewing experiences, such as during smooth pursuit or fixation within extended scenes.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

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Fixational eye movements depend on task and target

Nr¹,

Gautier²,

Shen³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Human fixational eye movements are so small and precise that they require high-speed, accurate tools to fully reveal their properties and functional roles. Where the fixated image lands on the retina and how it moves for different levels of visually demanding tasks is the subject of the current study. An Adaptive Optics Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) was used to image, track and present Maltese cross, disk, concentric circles, Vernier and tumbling-E letter fixation targets to healthy subjects. During these different passive (static) or active (discriminating) fixation tasks under natural eye motion, the landing position of the target on the retina was tracked in space and time over the retinal image directly. We computed both the eye motion and the exact trajectory of the fixated target's motion over the retina. We confirmed that compared to passive fixation, active tasks elicited a partial inhibition of microsaccades, leading to longer drifts periods compensated by larger corrective saccades. Consequently the fixation stability during active tasks was larger overall than during passive tasks. The preferred retinal locus of fixation was the same for each task and did not coincide with the location of the peak cone density.

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Section: Global Eye Movement Statisticssupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 55%

Fixational eye movements depend on task and target

Nr¹,

Gautier²,

Shen³

et al. 2021

Preprint

Self Cite

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“…, which confirms and extends the finding of Kilpeläinen et al, who show the PRL to be reproducible over a period of two days, on average(14). Small differences in PRL variation between days (Kilpeläinen et al: 0.52 arcmin; this study: 1.2 arcmin) might be observed because of differences in the fixational tasks.Kilpeläinen et.al.…”

supporting

confidence: 91%

“…For a long time, it was common view that the anatomical center of the fovea also represents the center of fixation (35), a view supported by the rough alignment between these retinal loci. With current imaging techniques, opening the door to the exact cellular makeup of an individual eye however, it was revealed that the PRL is offset from the location of the PCD as well as the center of the foveal avascular zone and the foveal pit (6,(12)(13)(14)(15).…”

Section: Preferred Retinal Locus Of Fixationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The center of retinal locations used in a fixation task is, in general, referred to as the preferred retinal locus of fixation (PRL). Different groups independently found that this functional center does not colocalize with the peak of cone density distribution and other anatomical features of the foveal pit (6,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). However, due to small participant populations, monocular measurements or indirect methods of PRL estimation, little is known about the nature of this displacement and a systematic analysis of binocular fixation locations has not been performed so far.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Human gaze is systematically offset from the center of cone topography

Reiniger

Domdei

Holz

et al. 2021

Preprint

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The small physical depression of the human retina, termed fovea, is the functional center of human vision, providing an acute sense of visual space and color, but it is yet unclear if the exact arrangement of the few thousand photoreceptors at the foveal center is relevant for visual behavior. By employing adaptive optics in vivo imaging and micro-stimulation, we created complete topographical maps of the foveolar cone mosaics in both eyes of 20 healthy participants while simultaneously recording the exact retinal location of a fixated visual object in a psychophysical experiment. We found that the locus of fixation was systematically shifted away from the topographical centers towards a naso-superior quadrant of the foveolea in both eyes, thereby creating an enlarged binocular area of visual space sampled by high density cones. This demonstrates a finely tuned link between the development of the cellular arrangement of the photoreceptors of the foveola and visual behavior.

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