The main function of the human stereo system is to combine the monocular images, assigning a unique position in depth to each visible feature. In the last two decades, there have been two approaches to studying the binocular combination of signals from the two eyes: binocular contrast summation and stereo matching. Generally, research on stereo matching has ignored the contrast work, while studies of binocular contrast summation have failed to consider the role of stereo matching. Yet these two issues are intertwined. In dichoptic masking, a high contrast feature in one eye masks a weak contrast signal at retinal correspondence in the other eye. We have recently demonstrated that stereo matching operations can intervene to prevent dichoptic masking at, retinal correspondence. In the proposed research, we will use measurements of contrast thresholds to explore the operations underlying human stereo matching. We will test whether the constraints employed in computational stereo models are applicable to human vision. We will also re-examine dichoptic masking for local aperiodic targets, since much of the previous research has employed grating targets. Strabismic and anisometropic patients often suffer the loss of stereopsis due to the abnormal neural development associated with their condition. In amblyopia, the stronger normal eye of the amblyope suppresses signals from the weaker, abnormal eye; this suppression is sometimes modeled as a type of dichoptic masking. To understand the nature of the loss experienced by stereoanomalous observers, we will repeat many of our studies on stereo matching and dichoptic masking in mild anisometropic amblyopes.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Eye Institute (NEI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01EY006644-10
Application #
2160714
Study Section
Visual Sciences B Study Section (VISB)
Project Start
1986-01-01
Project End
1996-12-31
Budget Start
1995-01-01
Budget End
1995-12-31
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
San Francisco
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
94115
McKee, Suzanne P; Taylor, Douglas G (2010) The precision of binocular and monocular depth judgments in natural settings. J Vis 10:5
Norcia, Anthony M; Hale, Julia; Pettet, Mark W et al. (2009) Disparity tuning of binocular facilitation and suppression after normal versus abnormal visual development. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 50:1168-75
McKee, Suzanne P; Verghese, Preeti; Ma-Wyatt, Anna et al. (2007) The wallpaper illusion explained. J Vis 7:10.1-11
Wilcox, Laurie M; Harris, Julie M; McKee, Suzanne P (2007) The role of binocular stereopsis in monoptic depth perception. Vision Res 47:2367-77
Petrov, Yury; McKee, Suzanne P (2006) The effect of spatial configuration on surround suppression of contrast sensitivity. J Vis 6:224-38
Petrov, Yury; Verghese, Preeti; McKee, Suzanne P (2006) Collinear facilitation is largely uncertainty reduction. J Vis 6:170-8
Petrov, Yury; Carandini, Matteo; McKee, Suzanne (2005) Two distinct mechanisms of suppression in human vision. J Neurosci 25:8704-7
McKee, Suzanne P; Verghese, Preeti; Farell, Bart (2005) Stereo sensitivity depends on stereo matching. J Vis 5:783-92
McKee, Suzanne P; Levi, Dennis M; Movshon, J Anthony (2003) The pattern of visual deficits in amblyopia. J Vis 3:380-405
Verghese, Preeti; McKee, Suzanne P (2002) Predicting future motion. J Vis 2:413-23

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