Elsevier

Vision Research

Volume 21, Issue 9, 1981, Pages 1341-1356
Vision Research

Foveal tritanopia

https://doi.org/10.1016/0042-6989(81)90241-8Get rights and content

Abstract

Measurements of sensitivity and color discrimination suggest that an area roughly 25′ in diameter in the central fovea lacks functioning blue-sensitive cones. Alternative explanations such as screening by macular pigment or Troxler fading are shown to be unable to account for the results. Evidence is presented that residual B cone-mediated color discrimination found in this and previous studies may be mediated by light scattered onto surrounding B cones. Scattered light can dramatically affect the color appearance of lights seen in the central fovea: a small fixated green field appears blue when surrounded by a dim, inconspicuous violet corona.

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    Supported by NIH grant EY-01711 and NSF Graduate Fellowship SMI 7622813.

    Present address: Center for Visual Science, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, U.S.A.

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