In the beginning there was light, and form, and visual mechanisms. This paper traces developments in research on spatial vision over the 20 years of ECVP, with particular emphasis on (1) hyperacuity, (2) peripheral vision, (3) amblyopia and development, and (4) learning and plasticity.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AubertHForster, 1857“Beiträge zur Kenntnisse der indirecten Sehens”Graefes Archiv für Ophthalmologie31–37.
2.
AvalloneE A, 1976“Vernier, Pierre”, in The Encyclopedia Americana, International Edition (New York: Americana) p. 38.
3.
AzzopardiPCoweyA, 1993“Preferential representation of the fovea in the primary visual cortex”Nature (London)361719–721.
4.
AzzopardiPCoweyA, 1996“The over representation of the fovea and adjacent retina in the striate cortex and dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the macaque monkey”Neuroscience72627–639.
5.
BallK KSekulerR, 1982“A specific and enduring improvement in visual motion discrimination”Science218697–698.
6.
BanksM SSekulerA BAndersonS J, 1991“Peripheral spatial vision: Limits imposed by optics, photoreceptors, and receptor pooling”Journal of the Optical Society of America A81775–1787.
7.
BarlowH B, 1979“Reconstructing the visual image in space and time”Nature (London)279189–190.
8.
BeardB LLeviD MKleinS A, 1997“Vernier acuity with non-simultaneous targets: The cortical magnification factor estimated by psychophysics”Vision Research37325–346.
9.
BeardB LLeviD MReichL N, 1995“Perceptual learning in parafoveal vision”Vision Research351679–1690.
10.
BlakeRHolopigianK, 1985“Orientation selectivity in cats and humans assessed by masking”Vision Research251459–1467.
11.
BlakemoreCCampbellF W, 1969“On the existence of neurons in the human visual system selectively sensitive to the orientation and size of retinal images”Journal of Physiology (London)203237–260.
12.
BootheR GDobsonVTellerD Y, 1985“Postnatal development of vision in human and non human primates”Annual Review of Neuroscience8495–545.
13.
BraddickO, 1996“Binocularity in infancy”Eye10182–188.
14.
BraddickOCampbellFAtkinsonJ, 1978“Channels in vision: Basic aspects”, in Handbook of Sensory Physiology volume VIII Perception Eds HeldRLeibowitzH WTeuberH L (Berlin: Springer) pp 3–37.
BradleyASkottunB COhzawaISclarGFreemanR D, 1987“Visual orientation and spatial frequency discrimination: A Comparison of single neurons and behavior”Journal of Neurophysiology57755–772.
17.
BurrD CRossJ, 1982“Contrast sensitivity at high velocities”Vision Research22479–484.
18.
CampbellF WGreenD G, 1965“Optical and retinal factors affecting visual resolution”Journal of Physiology (London)181576–593.
19.
CampbellF WNachmiasJJukesJ, 1970“Spatial-frequency discrimination in human vision”Journal of the Optical Society of America60555–559.
20.
CampbellF WRobsonJ G, 1968“Application of Fourier analysis to the visibility of gratings”Journal of Physiology (London)197551–566.
21.
CarkeetALeviD MMannyR E, 1997“Development of Vernier acuity in childhood”Optometry and Vision Science74741–750.
22.
CarneyTSilversteinAKleinS A, 1995“Vernier acuity during image rotation and translation: Visual performance limits”Vision Research351951–1964.
23.
ChinoY MKaasJ HSmithE LLangstonAChengH, 1992“Rapid reorganization of cortical maps in adult cats following restricted deafferentation in retina”Vision Research32789–796.
24.
ChungS TLeviD MBedellH E, 1996“Vernier in motion: What accounts for the threshold elevation?”Vision Research362395–2410.
ColettaN JWilliamsD R, 1987“Psychophysical estimate of extrafoveal cone spacing”Journal of the Optical Society of America A41503–1513.
27.
CurcioC AAllenK A, 1990“Topography of ganglion cells in human retina”Journal of Comparative Neurology3005–25.
28.
CurcioC ASloanK RPackerOHendricksonA EKalinaR E, 1987“Distributions of cones in human and monkey retina: Individual variability and radial asymmetry”Science236579–582.
29.
DanielP MWhitteridgeD, 1961“The representation of the visual field on the cerebral cortex in monkeys”Journal of Physiology (London)159203–221.
30.
DowB MSnyderR GVautinR GBauerR, 1981“Magnification factor and receptive field size in foveal striate cortex of the monkey”Experimental Brain Research44213–228.
31.
EngelS ARumelhartD EWandellB ALeeA TGloverG HChichlinskyEShadlenM N, 1994“fMRI of human visual cortex”Nature (London)369525.
32.
FahleMEdelmanS, 1993“Long-term learning in Vernier acuity: Effects of stimulus orientation, range and of feedback”Vision Research33397–412.
33.
FahleMPoggioTEdelmanS, 1992“Generalization of learning in Vernier acuity”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science33(4) 824.
34.
FieldD JHayesAHessR F, 1993“Contour integration by the human visual system: Evidence for a local ‘association field’ ”Vision Research33173–193.
35.
FindlayJ M, 1973“Feature detectors and Vernier acuity”Nature (London)241135–137.
36.
FiorentiniABerardiN, 1980“Perceptual learning specific for orientation and spatial frequency”Nature (London)28743–44.
37.
FiorentiniABerardiN, 1981“Learning in grating waveform discrimination: Specificity for orientation and spatial frequency”Vision Research211149–1158.
38.
FoleyJ M, 1994“Human luminance pattern-vision mechanisms: Masking experiments require a new model”Journal of the Optical Society of America A111710–1719.
39.
GeislerW S, 1984“Physical limits of acuity and hyperacuity”Journal of the Optical Society of America A1775–782.
40.
GeislerW S, 1989“Sequential ideal-observer analysis of visual discriminations”Psychological Review96267–314.
41.
GeorgesonM AMeeseT S, 1997“Perception of stationary plaids: The role of spatial filters in edge analysis”Vision Research373255–3271.
42.
GilbertC DWieselT N, 1992“Receptive field dynamics in adult primary visual cortex”Nature (London)356150–152.
43.
GrahamN, 1989Visual Pattern Analyzers (New York: Oxford University Press).
44.
GrüsserO J, 1995“Migraine phosphenes and the retino-cortical magnification factor”Vision Research351125–1134.
45.
GstalderR JGreenD G, 1971“Laser interferometric acuity in amblyopia”Journal of Pediatric Ophthalmology8251–256.
46.
HarwerthR SSmithE LDuncanG CCrawfordM L Jvon NoordenG K, 1987“Multiple sensitive periods in the development of the primate visual system”Science232235–238.
47.
HeegerD J, 1992“Normalization of cell responses in cat striate cortex”Visual Neuroscience9181–197.
48.
HeringE, 1899“Über die Grenzen der Sehschärfe”Bericht. Mathematische-Physikalische Classe der Königlichen Sächsischen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften (Leipzig)16–24.
49.
HessR F, 1982“Developmental sensory impairment: Amblyopia or tarachopia?”Human Neurobiology117–29.
50.
HessR F, 1995“Amblyopia: A Tale of two approaches”Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics15395–397.
51.
HessR FDakinS C, 1997“Absence of contour linking in peripheral vision”Nature (London)390602–604.
52.
HessR FFieldD, 1994“Is the spatial deficit in strabismic amblyopia due to loss of cells or an uncalibrated disarray of cells?”Vision Research343397–3406.
53.
HessR FHollidayI E, 1992“The spatial localization deficit in amblyopia”Vision Research321319–1339.
54.
HessR FHowellE R, 1977“The threshold contrast sensitivity function in strabismic amblyopia: Evidence for a two-type classification”Vision Research171049–1055.
55.
HortonJ CHoytW F, 1991“The representation of the visual field in human striate cortex”Archives of Ophthalmology109816–824.
56.
HubelD HWieselT N, 1974“Uniformity of monkey striate cortex: A parallel relationship between field size, scatter, and magnification factor”Journal of Comparative Neurology158295–306.
57.
JacobsonSMohindraIHeldR, 1981“Age of onset of amblyopia in infants with esotropia”Documenta Ophthalmologica30210–216.
58.
JenningsJCharmanW N, 1978“Optical image quality in the peripheral retina”American Journal of Optometry and Physiological Optics55582–590.
59.
KarniABertiniG, 1997“Learning perceptual skills: Behavioral probes into adult cortical plasticity”Current Opinion in Neurobiology7530–535.
60.
KarniASagiD, 1991“Where practice makes perfect in texture discrimination: Evidence for primary visual cortex plasticity”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA884966–4970.
KiorpesLKiperD CO'KeefeL PCavanaughJ RMovshonJ A, 1998“Neuronal correlates of amblyopia in the visual cortex of macaque monkeys with experimental strabismus and anisometropia”Journal of Neuroscience186411–6424.
63.
KleinS ALeviD M, 1985“Hyperacuity thresholds of 1 sec: Theoretical predictions and empirical validation”Journal of the Optical Society of America A21170–1190.
64.
KleinS ALeviD M, 1987“The position sense of the peripheral retina”Journal of the Optical Society of America A41543–1553.
65.
KoenderinkJ JBoumanM ABueno de MesquitaA ESlappendelS, 1978a“Perimetry of contrast detection thresholds of moving spatial sine wave patterns—I. The near peripheral visual field (eccentricity 0–8°)”Journal of the Optical Society of America68845–849.
66.
KoenderinkJ JBoumanM ABueno de MesquitaA ESlappendelS, 1978b“Perimetry of contrast detection thresholds of moving spatial sine wave patterns—II. The far peripheral visual field (eccentricity 0–50°)”Journal of the Optical Society of America68850–854.
67.
KoenderinkJ JBoumanM ABueno de MesquitaA ESlappendelS, 1978c“Perimetry of contrast detection thresholds of moving spatial sine wave patterns—III. The target extent as a sensitivity controlling parameter”Journal of the Optical Society of America68854–860.
68.
KooiF LDe ValoisR LSwitkesE, 1991“Spatial localization across channels”Vision Research311627–1631.
69.
LeVaySWieselT NHubelD H, 1980“The development of ocular dominance columns in normal and visually deprived monkeys”Journal of Comparative Neurology1911–51.
70.
LeviD M, 1996“Pattern perception at high velocities”Current Biology61020–1024.
71.
LeviD MCarkeetA, 1993“Amblyopia: A consequence of abnormal visual development”, in Early Visual Development, Normal and Abnormal Ed. SimonsK (New York: Oxford University Press) pp 391–408.
72.
LeviD MHarwerthR S, 1977“Spatiotemporal interactions in anisometropic and strabismic amblyopia”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science1690–95.
73.
LeviD MJiangB CKleinS A, 1990“Spatial interval discrimination with blurred lines: Black and white are separate but not equal at multiple spatial scales”Vision Research301735–1750.
74.
LeviD MKleinS A, 1982a“Hyperacuity and amblyopia”Nature (London)298268–270.
75.
LeviD MKleinS A, 1982b“Differences in Vernier discrimination for gratings between strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science23398–407.
76.
LeviD MKleinS A, 1985“Vernier acuity, crowding and amblyopia”Vision Research25979–991.
77.
LeviD MKleinS A, 1986“Sampling in spatial vision”Nature (London)320360–362.
78.
LeviD MKleinS A, 1990“The role of separation and eccentricity in encoding position”Vision Research30557–585.
79.
LeviD MKleinS A, 1992“ ‘Weber's Law’ for position: The role of spatial frequency and contrast”Vision Research322235–2250.
80.
LeviD MKleinS A, 1996“Limitations on position coding imposed by undersampling and univariance”Vision Research362111–2120.
81.
LeviD MKleinS AAitsebaomoA P, 1984“Detection and discrimination of the direction of motion in central and peripheral vision of normal and amblyopic observers”Vision Research24789–800.
LeviD MKleinS ASharmaV, 1997a“Feature integration in pattern perception”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA9411742–11746.
84.
LeviD MKleinS AWangH, 1994“Discrimination of position and contrast in amblyopic and peripheral vision”Vision Research343293–3313.
85.
LeviD MPolatU, 1996“Neural plasticity in adults with amblyopia”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA936830–6834.
86.
LeviD MPolatUHuY S, 1997b“Improvement in Vernier acuity in adults with amblyopia. Practice makes better”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science381493–1510.
87.
LeviD MSharmaV, 1998“Integration of local orientation in strabismic amblyopia”Vision Research38775–781.
88.
LeviD MWaughS J, 1996“Position acuity with opposite-contrast polarity features: Evidence for a nonlinear collector mechanism for position acuity?”Vision Research36573–588.
89.
LeviD MWestheimerG, 1987“Spatial-interval discrimination in the human fovea: What delimits the interval?”Journal of the Optical Society of America A41304–1313.
90.
LosadaM ANavarroRSantamariaJ, 1993“Relative contributions of optical and neural limitations to human contrast sensitivity at different luminance levels”Vision Research332321–2336.
91.
LuZ LDosherB A, 1998“External noise distinguishes attention mechanisms”Vision Research381183–1198.
92.
MacKayD M, 1981“Strife over visual cortical function [news]”Nature (London)289117–118.
93.
McWhirterN (Ed.), 1997The Guinness Book of World Records 1997 (New York: Bantam Books).
94.
MakousW L, 1997“Fourier models and the loci of adaptation”Journal of the Optical Society of America A142323–2345.
95.
MohindraIJacobsonS GThomasJHeldR, 1979“Development of amblyopia in infants”Transactions of the Ophthalmological Society of the UK99344–346.
96.
MollonJ DDanilovaM V, 1996“Three remarks on perceptual learning”Spatial Vision1051–58.
97.
MorganM J, 1991“Hyperacuity”, in Spatial Vision Ed. ReganD M, volume 10 of Vision and Visual Dysfunction Ed. Cronly-DillonJ R (London: Macmillan) pp 87–113.
98.
MorganM JCastetE, 1995“Stereoscopic depth perception at high velocities”Nature (London)378380–383.
99.
MussapA JLeviD M, 1995“Binocular processes in Vernier acuity”Journal of the Optical Society of America A12225–233.
100.
MussapA JLeviD M, 1997“Vernier acuity with plaid masks: The role of oriented filters in Vernier acuity”Vision Research371325–1340.
101.
von NoordenG K, 1985“Proctor lecture: Amblyopia: A multidisciplinary approach”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science261704–1716.
102.
NothdurftH, 1985“Sensitivity for structure gradient in texture discrimination tasks”Vision Research251957–1968.
103.
ParkerAHawkenM, 1985“Capabilities of monkey cortical cells in spatial-resolution tasks”Journal of the Optical Society of America A21101–1114.
104.
PerryV HCoweyA, 1985“The ganglion cell and cone distributions in the monkey retina: Implications for central magnification factors”Vision Research251795–1810.
105.
PetrigBJuleszBKropflWBaumgartnerGAnlikerM, 1981“Development of stereopsis and cortical binocularity in human infants: Electrophysiological evidence”Science2131402–1405.
106.
PhillipsG CWilsonH R, 1984“Orientation bandwidths of spatial mechanisms measured by masking”Journal of the Optical Society of America A1226–232.
107.
PoggioTFahleMEdelmanS, 1992“Fast perceptual learning in visual hyperacuity”Science2561018–1021.
108.
PolatUSagiD, 1993“Lateral interactions between spatial channels: Suppression and facilitation revealed by lateral masking experiments”Vision Research33993–999.
109.
PolatUSagiD, 1994“The architecture of perceptual spatial interactions”Vision Research3473–78.
110.
PolyakS, 1957The Vertebrate Visual System (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press).
111.
RovamoJVirsuVNäsänenR, 1978“Cortical magnification factor predicts the photopic contrast sensitivity of peripheral vision”Nature (London)27154–56.
112.
SaarinenJLeviD M, 1995“Perceptual learning in Vernier acuity: What is learned?”Vision Research35519–527.
113.
SaarinenJLeviD MShenB, 1997“Integration of local pattern elements into a global shape in human vision”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA948267–8271.
114.
SaarinenJRovamoJVirsuV, 1989“Analysis of spatial structure in eccentric vision”Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science30293–296.
115.
SchadeO H, 1956“Optical and photoelectric analog of the eye”Journal of the Optical Society of America46721–739.
116.
SchoupsA AOrbanG A, 1996“Interocular transfer in perceptual learning of a pop-out discrimination task”Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA937358–7362.
117.
SchwartzE L, 1980“Computational anatomy and functional architecture of striate cortex: A spatial mapping approach to perceptual coding”Vision Research20645–669.
118.
SerenoM IMcDonaldC TAllmanJ M, 1994“Analysis of retinotopic maps in extrastriate cortex”Cerebral Cortex4601–620.
119.
SerenoM IDaleA MReppasJ BKwongK KBelliveauJ WBradyT JRosenB RTootellR B H, 1995“Borders of multiple visual areas in humans revealed by functional magnetic resonance imaging”Science268889–893.
120.
ShapleyRVictorJ, 1986“Hyperacuity in cat retinal ganglion cells”Science2311000–1002.
121.
ShimojoSBirchE EGwiazdaJHeldR, 1984“Development of Vernier acuity in infants”Vision Research24721–724.
122.
ShimojoSHeldR, 1987“Vernier acuity is less than grating acuity in 2- and 3-months-olds”Vision Research2777–86.
123.
SwindaleN VCynaderM S, 1986“Vernier acuity of neurons in cat visual cortex”Nature (London)319591–593.
TootellR BSilvermanM SSwitkesEDe ValoisR L, 1982“Deoxyglucose analysis of retinotopic organization in primate striate cortex”Science218902–904.
126.
TootellR BSwitkesESilvermanM SHamiltonS L, 1988“Functional anatomy of macaque striate cortex. II. Retinotopic organization”Journal of Neuroscience81531–1568.
127.
Van EssenD CNewsomeW TMaunsellJ H R, 1984“The visual field representation in striate cortex of the macaque monkey: Asymmetries, anisotropies, and individual variability”Vision Research24429–448.
128.
VirsuVNäsänenROsmoviitaK, 1987“Cortical magnification and peripheral vision”Journal of the Optical Society of America A41568–1578.
129.
VolkmannA W, 1863Physiologische Untersuchungen im Gebiete der Optik (Leipzig: Breitkopf und Hartel).
130.
WaldGBurianH M, 1944“The dissociation of form vision and light perception in strabismic amblyopia”American Journal of Ophthalmology27950–963.
131.
WangHLeviD M, 1994“Spatial integration in position acuity”Vision Research342859–2877.
132.
WässleHGrunertURöhrenbeckJBoycottB B, 1989“Cortical magnification factor and the ganglion cell density of the primate retina”Nature (London)341643–646.
133.
WässleHGrunertURöhrenbeckJBoycottB B, 1990“Retinal ganglion cell density and cortical magnification factor in the primate”Vision Research301897–1911.
134.
WatsonA B, 1987“Estimation of local spatial scale”Journal of the Optical Society of America A41579–1582.
135.
WaughS JLeviD M, 1993a“Visibility, luminance and Vernier acuity”Vision Research33527–538.
136.
WaughS JLeviD M, 1993b“Visibility, timing and Vernier acuity”Vision Research33505–526.
137.
WaughS JLeviD M, 1993c“Visibility and Vernier acuity for separated targets”Vision Research33539–552.
138.
WaughS JLeviD M, 1995“Spatial alignment across gaps: Contributions of orientation and spatial scale”Journal of the Optical Society of America A122305–2317.
139.
WaughS JLeviD MCarneyT, 1993“Orientation, masking, and Vernier acuity for line targets”Vision Research331619–1638.
140.
WestheimerG, 1965“Spatial interaction in the human retina during scotopic vision”Journal of Physiology (London)181881–894.
141.
WestheimerG, 1967“Spatial interaction in human cone vision”Journal of Physiology (London)190139–154.
142.
WestheimerG, 1975“Visual acuity and hyperacuity”Investigative Ophthalmology14570–572.
143.
WestheimerGCampbellF W, 1962“Light distribution in the image formed by the living human eye”Journal of the Optical Society of America521040–1045.
144.
WestheimerGMcKeeS P, 1975“Visual acuity in the presence of retinal-image motion”Journal of the Optical Society of America65847–850.
145.
WeymouthF W, 1958“Visual sensory units and the minimal angle of resolution”American Journal of Ophthalmology46102–113.
146.
WeymouthF WAndersenE EAverillH L, 1923“Retinal mean local sign: A New view of the relation of the retinal mosaic to visual perception”American Journal of Physiology63410–411.
147.
WhitakerDRovamoJMacVeighDMakelaP1992, “Spatial scaling of Vernier acuity tasks”Vision Research321481–1491.
148.
WieselT N, 1982“Postnatal development of the visual cortex and the influence of environment”Nature (London)299583–591.
149.
WilliamsD R, 1988“Topography of the foveal cone mosaic in the living human eye”Vision Research28433–454.
150.
WilsonH R, 1986“Responses of spatial mechanisms can explain hyperacuity”Vision Research26453–469.
151.
WilsonH R, 1991“Model of peripheral and amblyopic hyperacuity”Vision Research31967–982.
152.
WilsonH RHumanskiR, 1993“Spatial frequency adaptation and contrast gain control”Vision Research331133–1149.
153.
WilsonH RLeviD MMaffeiLRovamoJDe ValoisR, 1990“The perception of form: Retina to striate cortex”, in Visual Perception: The Neurophysiological Foundations Eds SpillmannLWernerJ S (San Diego, CA: Academic Press) pp 231–271.
154.
WilsonH RMcFarlaneD KPhillipsG C, 1983“Spatial frequency tuning of orientation selective units estimated by oblique masking”Vision Research23873–882.
155.
WulfingE, 1892“Über den kleinsten Gesichtswinkel”Zeitschrift für Biologie29199–202.
156.
YuCLeviD M, 1997“Cortical components of the Westheimer function”Vision Research372535–2544.
