Contrary to the general belief that the yellow-blue mechanism has lower spatial resolution than the red-green mechanism, it has been recently claimed that both mechanisms have similar spatial sensitivity (McKeefry et al, 2001 Vision Research41 245–255). Studying high-spatial-frequency tritanopia (a colour illusion based on spatio-chromatic interactions in human vision), we found strong evidence for the existence of two blue mechanisms—with low and high spatial-frequency resolution. If confirmed, this may resolve the apparent paradox concerning spatial resolution of the yellow-blue mechanism.
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