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Mysteries of the blind zone and cone-enriched rim at the extreme periphery of the human retina

© 2016 G. I. Rozhkova, A. V. Belokopytov, M. A. Gracheva

Institute for Information Transmission Problems (Kharkevich Institute), RAS 127051 Moscow, B. Karetny per., 19

Received 25 May 2016

It is well known that human retina is very inhomogeneous: the compositions and proportions of photoreceptors and other retinal cells are strongly dependent on the distance from the foveal centre and differ in different meridians of the eye. Most papers available are devoted to studying structural and functional characteristics of the central area and near periphery of the retina. At the same time, there are some challenging and seemingly contradictory data concerning the extreme periphery. On one side, long ago, well expressed cone-enriched rim had been found at the retinal border along ora serrata. On the other side, there is evidence that the retinal part situated in the vicinity of ora serrata behaves as a blind zone, i.e. people don’t perceive the light stimuli projected there. The papers concerning the extreme periphery of the retina are few in number and heterogeneous. This review presents: some morphological data essential for characterization of the extreme periphery of the human retina; analysis of the differences between the peripheral and the paraxial eye optics; consideration of the hypotheses concerning possible functions of the cone-enriched rim and the blind zone – detection of danger, optic ow analysis during locomotion, contribution to constancy of color perception and other suggestions.

Key words: ora serrata, peripheral retina, blind retina, photoreceptors density, cone-enriched rim, danger detection, locomotion control, color constancy, amblyopia

Cite: Rozhkova G. I., Belokopytov A. V., Gracheva M. A. Zagadki slepoi zony i koltsa povyshennoi plotnosti kolbochek na krainei periferii setchatki [Mysteries of the blind zone and cone-enriched rim at the extreme periphery of the human retina]. Sensornye sistemy [Sensory systems]. 2016. V. 30(4). P. 263-281 (in Russian).

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