- Letter
Psychophysical discrimination of radially varying polarization-based entoptic phenomena
Phys. Rev. Applied 21, L011002 – Published 24 January, 2024
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.21.L011002
Abstract
The incorporation of structured-light techniques into vision science has enabled more-selective probes of polarization-related entoptic phenomena. Diverse sets of stimuli have become accessible in which the spatially dependent optical properties can be rapidly controlled and manipulated. For example, past studies in human perception of polarization have dealt with stimuli that appear to vary azimuthally. This is mainly due to the constraint that the typically available degree of freedom to manipulate the phase shift of light rotates the perceived pattern around a person’s point of fixation. Here we create a structured-light stimulus that is perceived to vary purely along the radial direction and test discrimination sensitivity to inward and outward radial motion. This is accomplished by our preparing a radial state coupled to an orbital-angular-momentum state that matches the orientation of the dichroic elements in the macula. By expanding the range of entoptic images induced by structured light, this method will accelerate the development of structured-light tools for the assessment and monitoring of macular health.
