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Flicker-defined form stimuli are minimally affected by centre-surround lateral contrast interactions

Denniss, Jonathan; McKendrick, Allison M.

Authors

Jonathan Denniss

Allison M. McKendrick



Abstract

Purpose: Flicker-defined form (FDF) stimuli have recently been adopted for visual field testing. A key difference between FDF and traditional perimetric stimuli is that the entire display background contains flickering dots. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the perception of FDF stimuli is influenced by lateral interactions involving regions beyond the stimulus border in young healthy observers.

Methods: Experiment 1 measured the effect of surround size and retinal eccentricity on the detection of the FDF contour. Psychometric functions were collected for surround diameters of 20, 30 and 40°, and with stimuli centered at eccentricities of 0, 10 and 20°. Experiment 2 measured the effect of target-surround temporal phase difference on apparent temporal contrast (flicker strength) of the target for both the FDF stimulus and a solid-field stimulus. Psychometric functions were collected for target-surround phase differences of 0, 45, 90, 135 and 180°.

Results: Our results show a mild surround-suppression effect for FDF stimuli that is independent of surround size. Magnitudes of FDF surround suppression were consistent with the reduced temporal contrast energy of the stimulus compared to solid-field stimuli.

Conclusion: FDF stimuli necessarily have both flickering target and background. Our results suggest that visual field defects outside the target are unlikely to markedly influence the detection and perception of the FDF stimulus. Nevertheless, mild surround suppression of contrast arises for FDF stimuli, hence interactions between the background and the target area may influence FDF results in conditions that alter centre-surround perceptual effects.

Citation

Denniss, J., & McKendrick, A. M. (2016). Flicker-defined form stimuli are minimally affected by centre-surround lateral contrast interactions. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics, 36(2), 174-182. https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.12268

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Jan 6, 2016
Deposit Date Jan 14, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics
Print ISSN 0275-5408
Electronic ISSN 1475-1313
Publisher Wiley
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 36
Issue 2
Pages 174-182
DOI https://doi.org/10.1111/opo.12268
Keywords Centre-surround; Flicker; Flicker-defined form; Lateral interactions; Perimetry; Phantom contour
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/773539
Publisher URL http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12268/abstract
Additional Information This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Denniss J & McKendrick AM. Flicker-defined form stimuli are minimally affected by centre-surround lateral contrast interactions. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2016. doi: 10.1111/opo.12268, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12268/abstract. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.

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