RELATIONS BETWEEN THE HUMAN RETINAL CONE AND GANGLION-CELL DISTRIBUTION

The distribution of human cone cells is well known and is frequently cited. The distribution of human ganglion cells is less well known; it was published in a booklet which is less frequently cited in the eye literature. From this booklet, selected curves are provided with Snellen acuity data; both were digitally encoded, transformed to linear vertical axes where necessary, scaled and compared. Comparisons were possible along the temporal hemimeridian; the correlations were (r = 0.99 for ganglion cells vs. cone cells; r = 0.99 for ganglion cells vs. acuity, and r = 0.98 for cone cells vs. acuity). Integration of densities along the horizontal hemimeridian out to 50.degree. showed that .apprx. 50% of the cone cells are within 18.degree. of the fovea and that .apprx. 50% of the ganglion cells are within 13.degree. of the fovea. An appreciation of the strong interrelations between the cone-ganglion cell distributions may provide for a better understanding of vision during retinal diseases. It accounts for the production of pattern-elicited retinal signals, a subject which is under intense investigation.