The ratio of L cones to M cones in the human parafoveal retina

Vision Res. 1992 May;32(5):879-88. doi: 10.1016/0042-6989(92)90030-m.

Abstract

We present psychophysically-based estimates of the relative numbers of long-wavelength-sensitive (L) and middle-wavelength-sensitive (M) cones in the parafovea of three color-normal trichromats. Using methods previously applied to the fovea centralis, we obtained estimates of the relative numbers of L and M cones at retinal eccentricities of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 deg along the horizontal meridian of the temporal retina. Results for three observers indicate that the L to M cone ratio remains approximately invariant from the fovea to 4.0 deg eccentricity, with a mean ratio near 2:1.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Cell Count
  • Color Perception / physiology
  • Female
  • Fovea Centralis / cytology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Photoreceptor Cells / cytology*
  • Psychophysics
  • Retina / cytology*
  • Spectrophotometry