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On the optical theory of underwater vision in humans

Gislén, Anna LU and Gislén, Lars LU (2004) In Journal of the Optical Society of America A 21(11). p.2061-2064
Abstract
Defocus changes the visual contrast sensitivity function, thereby creating a complex curve with local dips and peaks. Since underwater vision in humans is severely defocused, we used optical theory and the phenomenon of spurious resolution to predict how well humans can see in this environment. The values obtained correspond well with experimental measurements of underwater human acuity from earlier studies and even point to an opportunity for humans with exceptional contrast sensitivity to see better underwater than the children in those studies. The same theory could be useful when discussing the visual acuity of amphibious animals, as they may use pupil constriction as a means of improving underwater vision.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of the Optical Society of America A
volume
21
issue
11
pages
2061 - 2064
publisher
Optical Society of America
external identifiers
  • pmid:15535363
  • wos:000224721500002
  • scopus:8744250151
ISSN
1084-7529
DOI
10.1364/JOSAA.21.002061
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
24031b62-4a6f-4564-b573-30b35b0f5686 (old id 262359)
alternative location
http://www.opticsinfobase.org/viewmedia.cfm?id=81550&seq=0
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:20:38
date last changed
2024-01-11 06:10:16
@article{24031b62-4a6f-4564-b573-30b35b0f5686,
  abstract     = {{Defocus changes the visual contrast sensitivity function, thereby creating a complex curve with local dips and peaks. Since underwater vision in humans is severely defocused, we used optical theory and the phenomenon of spurious resolution to predict how well humans can see in this environment. The values obtained correspond well with experimental measurements of underwater human acuity from earlier studies and even point to an opportunity for humans with exceptional contrast sensitivity to see better underwater than the children in those studies. The same theory could be useful when discussing the visual acuity of amphibious animals, as they may use pupil constriction as a means of improving underwater vision.}},
  author       = {{Gislén, Anna and Gislén, Lars}},
  issn         = {{1084-7529}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{11}},
  pages        = {{2061--2064}},
  publisher    = {{Optical Society of America}},
  series       = {{Journal of the Optical Society of America A}},
  title        = {{On the optical theory of underwater vision in humans}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1364/JOSAA.21.002061}},
  doi          = {{10.1364/JOSAA.21.002061}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}