This experiment investigated the differential sensitivity of various areas of the retina using flicker. For 12 subjects testing was carried out in the fovea, and 5° and 6° temporal to the fovea using a wavelength of 555 nm. Testing was done both in the presence of a surround beam and in its absence. In all cases, there was a 2.5- to 4-fold increase in the amount of energy needed to perceive flicker as testing was shifted from the fovea to the periphery. A number of possible explanations are suggested to account for these findings.
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