Cite as:
Huckauf A, Müsseler J, Fährmann F, 2009, "Visual acuity in x, y, and z" Perception 38 ECVP Abstract Supplement, page 69

Visual acuity in x, y, and z

A Huckauf, J Müsseler, F Fährmann

The more a stimulus is presented in the visual eccentricity, the smaller the probability to recognize it due to decreasing visual acuity. The decline of acuity has been quantified for the horizontal dimension (x-axis), and for the vertical dimension ( y-axis). For depth, that is for the z-axis, however, the decline is still unknown and might be traced back to performance assessment problems. We developed a set-up that allows assessment of performance at various distances in depth. With this set-up we measured letter recognition performance at 3°, 6°, and 9° of eccentricity in all three dimensions: left of fixation (x-direction), above fixation (y-direction), and behind fixation (z-direction). The data replicated the already known effects of eccentricity and of the inferiority of vertical relative to horizontal acuity. Additionally, the worst performances were observed for the z-direction. This inferiority was even stronger for binocular relative to monocular viewing, which can be traced back to double images evolving in binocular vision. As expected, further results show that performances for virtual depth are much better than in real depth. Implications for stereoscopic viewing as well as for models of visual perception are discussed.

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