title: Vision out of the corner of the eye.
abstract: The margin of the temporal visual field lies more than 90° from the line of sight and is critical for detecting incoming threats and for balance and locomotive control. We show (i) contrast sensitivity beyond 70° is higher for moving stimuli than for stationary, and in the outermost region, only moving stimuli are visible; (ii) sensitivity is highest for motion in directions near the vertical and horizontal axes and is higher for forward than for backward directions; (iii) the former anisotropy arises early in the visual pathway; (iv) thresholds for discriminating direction are lowest for upward and downward motion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EG, UK. to@cantab.net
authors.forename: M P S
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: To
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Regan
authors.forename: Dora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wood
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Mollon
mesh_terms: D015350:Contrast Sensitivity / Q000502:physiology*; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*