Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and ApplicationsLuckiesh, Matthew
Science
Visual Illusions: Their Causes, Characteristics and Applications
Luckiesh, Matthew
Optical illusions
The place where the optic nerve enters the eye-ball and begins to spread
out is blind. Objects whose images fall on this spot are invisible. This
blind-spot is not particularly of interest here, but it may be of interest
to note its effect. This is easily done by closing one eye and looking
directly at one of two small black circles about two inches apart on white
paper at a distance of about a foot from the eye. By moving the objects
about until the image of the circle not directly looked at falls upon the
blind-spot, this circle will disappear. A three-foot circle at a distance
of 36 feet will completely disappear if its image falls directly upon the
blind-spot. At a distance of 42 inches the invisible area is about 12
inches from the point of sight and about 3 to 4 inches in diameter. At 300
feet the area is about 8 feet in diameter. The actual size of the retinal
blind-spot is about 0.05 inch in diameter or nearly 5 degrees. Binocular
vision overcomes any annoyance due to the blind-spots because they do not
overlap in the visual field. A one-eyed person is really totally blind for
this portion of the retina or of the visual field.
The bacillary layer consists of so-called rods and cones. Only the rods
function under very low intensities of illumination of the order of
moonlight. The cones are sensitive to color and function only at
intensities greater than what may be termed twilight intensities. These
elements are very small but the fact that they appear to be connecting
links between the retinal image and visual perception, acuity or
discrimination of fine detail is limited inasmuch as the elements are of
finite dimensions. The smallest image which will produce a visual
impression is the size of the end of a cone. The smallest distance between
two points which is visible at five inches is about 0.001 inch. Two cones
must be stimulated in such a case. Fine lines may appear crooked because
of the irregular disposition of these elemental light-sensitive points.
This apparent crookedness of lines is an illusion which is directly due to
the limitations of retinal elements of finite size.
The distribution of rods and cones over the retina is very important. In
the fovea centralis--the point of the retina on the optical axis of the
eye--is a slight depression much thinner than the remainder of the retina
and this is inhabited chiefly by cones. It is this spot which provides
visual acuteness. It is easily demonstrated that fine detail cannot be
seen well defined outside this central portion of the visual field. When
we desire to see an object distinctly we habitually turn the head so that
the image of the object falls upon the fovea of each eye. Helmholtz has
compared the foveal and lateral images with a finished drawing and a rough
sketch respectively.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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