Information capacity of eyes

Abstract

The capacity of an eye to perceive the visual environment is quantified by determining the number of different pictures that can be reconstructed by its array of photoreceptors. There is an optimum density of photoreceptors for each mean luminance and contrast. This is determined by the wave and particle nature of light (diffraction and photon noise). Anatomical and psychophysical data are consistent with the hypothesis that the human retina maximizes the reconstruction of different pictures over the range in luminance required for day and night vision.