Abstract
A model is proposed to explain the preferential loss of short-wavelength (SW) cone sensitivity in retinal diseases. In this model, differential adaptation of color vision mechanisms under white or chromatic adapting fields combined with a ‘filter’ effect of retinal disease, is postulated as an explanation for the apparent susceptibility of the SW cone pathway. When it is assumed that all the color vision mechanisms are affected equally to create a filter effect, the model predicts: (1) a relative reduction of SW cone sensitivity, (2) differences in the amount of reduction of SW cone sensitivity when measured under white vs. yellow adapting fields, and (3) differences in the amount of SW cone sensitivity loss as a function of adapting field intensity. These predictions are consistent with the available clinical data. We also applied the model to threshold-versus-intensity (t.v.i.) curves for several test and field wavelength combinations from an animal exposed to intense blue light. However, in contrast to the filter effect of general retinal diseases, immediately following the intense light exposure, there where differences in the amount of threshold elevation for different t.v.i. curves. The highest threshold elevation for the cone pathway occurred for SW test flashes. Therefore, these results indicate that intense blue-light exposure produces a specific loss of SW cone sensitivity rather than a filter effect.
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© 1989 Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht
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Kalloniatis, M., Harwerth, R.S. (1989). Differential Adaptation of Cone Mechanisms Explains the Preferential Loss of Short-Wavelength Cone Sensitivity in Retinal Disease. In: Drum, B., Verriest, G. (eds) Colour Vision Deficiencies IX. Documenta Ophthalmologica Proceedings Series, vol 52. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2695-0_41
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2695-0_41
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