title: Color sorting by retinal waveguides.
abstract: Light is being detected by the two distinct types of photoreceptors in the human retina: cones and rods. Before light arrives at the photoreceptors, it must traverse the whole retina, along its array of higher-index Müller cells serving as natural waveguides. Here we analyze this optical process of light propagation through Müller cells by two independent optical methods: numerical beam propagation and analytical modal analysis. We show that the structure and refractive index profile of the Müller cells create a unique spatio-spectral distribution of light. This distribution corresponds to the positions and spectral sensitivities of both cones and rods to improve their light absorption.
authors.forename: Amichai M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Labin
authors.forename: Erez N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Ribak
mesh_terms: D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D003198:Computer Simulation; D063928:Ependymoglial Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008959:Models, Neurological; D012031:Refractometry / Q000379:methods*; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D017949:Retinal Cone Photoreceptor Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation