Lecture: Physiology of Vision I. Overview of Light and Optics A. Wavelength and Colors of Visible Radiation 1.

electro agnetic radiation

ga

a ra!s

"#ra!s $V light VISIBLE LIGHT Infrared Radio Wave ediu %)*&#+'& n ( long %1&, n (

short %1&#' n (

,. wave#photon dualit! # light travels in wave#li-e fashion with .single pac-ets. of energ! called photons ). visible spectru # different colors of light have different wavelengths

Violet )*&n

/lue 2*&n

0reen ''&n

1ellow 3)&n

Orange 3*&n

Red +)&n

2. color of an ob4ect # the color of an ob4ect is deter ined b! which wavelengths are R56L5C758 bac- to the retina %not absorbed b! the ob4ect( a. b. /. white # all wavelengths reflected b! ob4ect blac- # all wavelengths absorbed b! ob4ect

Refraction of Light and Conve9 Lenses 1. light refraction # light will bend when it passes fro into another %lens( e.g. pencil in glass of water one ediu %air(

,. conve9 lens # %thic-er at center: tapered at edge( causes light to bend so that it co es together at a focal point a. real i age # i age at focal point of conve9 lens ###; inverted < reversed ). focusing light on the retina

a. cornea # constant %unchanging( refraction b. lens # can change refraction and focal length= ciliar! change conve9it! of the lens 2. 6ocusing for 8istance Vision

uscles

a. far point of vision # distance be!ond which lens will not change its shape %about ,& feet( %flattest point of the lens( b. e etropic e!e # nor al: health! e!e '. 6ocusing for Close Vision ade:

Less than 3 feet: several ad4ust ents are

a. acco odation of lens # lens shape beco es ore conve9: light ra!s bend ore sharpl!: shorter focal length for the closer ob4ect %ciliar! uscles for lens( i. near point of vision # shortest distance for focusing % a9i u conve9it! of lens(= about *#1& inches= gets worse with age ii. presb!opia # poor close vision in elderl!= inelasticit! of the lens b. acco odation of pupils # constriction of pupils= better focus: less divergent ra!s %constrictor uscles of iris( c. convergence of e!es # e!es rotate ediall! to -eep i age on center of the retina % edial rectus uscles of e!eballs( C. Vision >roble s Related to Refraction 1. !opia %.nearsighted.( # distant ob4ects are blurred= distant ob4ects are focused in front of the retina: rather than directl! on it a. b. e!eball too long= lens too strong concave lens can correct light before e!e

,. h!peropia %.farsightedness.( # close ob4ects are blurred= close ob4ects are focused be!ond the retina: rather than directl! on it a. b. e!eball too short= poor refraction of a lens conve9 lens can correct light before e!e

). astig atis # blurr! i ages at all distances= une?ual curves on lens and@or cornea: creating discontinuous i age on the retina

II.

Anatomy, Biochemistry, & Physiology of Photoreceptors A. 6unctional Anato ! of >hotoreceptors 1. 0eneral Atructure of Rods and Cones

.pig ented base. of retina

o ter segment %pig ented discs( connecting stalinner segment % itochondria( outer fiber cell !o"y %nucleus( inner fiber s!naptic ending bipolar cell ganglion cell %a9ons carried to brain b! optic nerve(

.neural la!er.

a. outer seg ent # contain react to light

e brane#bound discs with pig ents that absorb and

i. rods # pig ent discs stac-ed li-e pennies all the wa! to the base: e branes are 8IA7IBC7 fro the plas a e brane 1. ,. ). 2. '. 3. sensitive to di light %night vision( respond to ALL wavelengths %colors( onl! .gre!. infor ation to the brain 1&& rods per ganglion cell to brain widel! spread throughout the retina not good for visual acuit! e branes are

ii. cones # pig ent discs taper off toward the base: COB7IB$O$A with the plas a e brane

1. re?uire bright light for sti ulation ,. different cones have different pig ents specific for certain wavelengths %colors( ). can conve! color infor ation to brain 2. 1#) cones per ganglion cell to brain '. pri aril! concentrated in fovea %center( 3. essential for visual acuit! /. /ioche istr! of Visual >ig ents

1. opsin # trans e brane protein in the e brane of pig ented discs of rods and cones ,. retinal # light absorbing olecule that changes shape when struc- b! a photon of light a. vita in A # precursor to retinal %eat !our carrotsCCCCCC( b. 11#cis iso er of retinal # non#activated for of retinal: prior to absorption of photon energ!= has a .-in-ed. double bond c. all trans iso er of retinal # activated for of retinal: after struc- b! photon of light= double bond straightens out C. 59citation of Rods 1. rhodopsin # visual pig ent in rods= in outer seg ent ,. light e branes of pig ented discs of

bleaching of pig ent # brea-down of rhodopsin after the absorption of rhodopsin all#trans retinal D scotopsin

11#cis retinal D scotopsin ).

light

all#trans retinal # causes E1>5R>OLARIFA7IOB of rod a. b. c. d. BaD channels %open in dar-( are closed rod is h!perpolariGed %increased negativit!( CaDD channels in s!napse close less neurotrans itter released b! the rod

8.

59citation of Cones 1. photopsins # ) distinct pig ents in cones are sensitive to ) different parts of visible spectru a. b. c. blue cones # a9i u sensitivit! at 2'' n green cones # a9i u sensitivit! at ')& n red cones # a9i u sensitivit! at 3,' n

,. different colors # differential activation of each of the three different cones ). color blindness inherit gene for one of the photon proteins that is deficient % ainl! ale(: ost co on are red and green utations 5. Light and 8ar- Adaptation of Rhodopsin

1. light adaptation # ver! dar- ver! bright a. b. c. d. e. rhodopsin in rods is ?uic-l! bleached out sensitivit! to shallow light disappears rods are inhibited b! other retinal cells cones are activated to ta-e over %' ins.( consensual pupil refle9 # constriction

,. dar- adaptation # ver! bright ver! dara. b. c. d. cones are graduall! cease to be sti ulated .bleached out. rods can produce rhodopsin rods eventuall! ta-e over in the di light pupillar! dilation # pupils increase siGe

). n!ctalopia %night blindness( # deficienc! in function of rods during di #light situations a. vita in A deficienc! is general cause III. The Vis al Path#ay$ Photoreceptors to %ccipital &orte' photoreceptors %rods < cones( #; bipolar cells #; ganglion cells %a9ons H optic nerve( #; optic nerves %fro each e!e retina( optic chias a % edial fibers cross over( optic tracts %opposite visual field( lateral geniculate bod! of thala us #; optic radiation %fibers to corte9( occipital lobe # pri ar! visual corte9

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other brain areas that receive visual infor ation: 1. superior colliculi # for control of e9trinsic e!e uscles ,. pretectal nuclei # ediate pupillar! light refle9es ). suprachias atic nucleus of h!pothala us # circadian rh!th IV. Binoc lar Vision an" (epth Perception A. binocular vision # two e!es have overlapping regions of the visual field: so that the sa e point is seen fro slightl! different angles

1. depth perception # a result of binocular vision in which person can perceive relative distances based on infor ation gathered in both e!es