This book examines the contrast sensitivity of the human visual system - concerning the eye's ability to distinguish objects from each other or from the background - and its effects on the imageforming process. The text provides equations for determining various aspects of contrast sensitivity, in addition to models that easily can be used for practical applications.

Recent vision research has led to the emergence of new techniques that offer exciting potential for a more complete assessment of vision in clinical, industrial, and military settings. Emergent Techniques for Assessment of Visual Performance examines four areas of vision testing that offer potential for improved assessment of visual capability including: contrast sensitivity function, dark-focus of accommodation, dynamic visual acuity and dynamic depth tracking, and ambient and focal vision. In contrast to studies of accepted practices, this report focuses on emerging techniques that could help determine whether people have the vision necessary to do their jobs. In addition to examining some of these emerging techniques, the report identifies their usefulness in predicting performance on other visual and visual-motor tasks, and makes recommendations for future research. Emergent Techniques for Assessment of Visual Performance provides summary recommendations for research that will have significant value and policy implications for the next 5 to 10 years. The content and conclusions of this report can serve as a useful resource for those responsible for screening industrial and military visual function.

The seventeen contributions present current research in visual signal processing, in the retina and central pathways, and in the study of contrast sensitivity in humans. The seventeen contributions present current research in visual signal processing, in the retina and central pathways, and in the study of contrast sensitivity in humans.

When children and adults apply for disability benefits and claim that a visual impairment has limited their ability to function, the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) is required to determine their eligibility. To ensure that these determinations are made fairly and consistently, SSA has developed criteria for eligibility and a process for assessing each claimant against the criteria. Visual Impairments: Determining Eligibility for Social Security Benefits examines SSA's methods of determining disability for people with visual impairments, recommends changes that could be made now to improve the process and the outcomes, and identifies research needed to develop improved methods for the future. The report assesses tests of visual function, including visual acuity and visual fields whether visual impairments could be measured directly through visual task performance or other means of assessing disability. These other means include job analysis databases, which include information on the importance of vision to job tasks or skills, and measures of health-related quality of life, which take a person-centered approach to assessing visual function testing of infants and children, which differs in important ways from standard adult tests.

There have been greater advances in our knowledge of the visual function and its disabilities in the past 50 years than had accumulated in all of the previous years. This applies not only to the basic science of biochemistry, physiology, physiopathology, and cytopathology but also to the diagnosis and treatment of visual dysfunction and ocular disease. These advances have been aided by a proliferation of ingenious instruments. When I began my residency in ophthalmology at The Wilmer Institute in 1938, one was supposed to learn not only the physiology of vision but also how to diagnose and treat all phases of ophthalmology including disabilities of the orbit, sclera, retina, lens, and cornea. In addition he or she was supposed to understand neuro-ophthalmology, ophthalmic genetics, and so-called uveitis. It soon became evident that no one could adequately comprehend all of these areas and, therefore, most young trainees today take a year or two of fel lowship in a specialized area following their three-to five-year residency train ing. Following this they join a group of other ophthalmologists and specialize. Thus, they become more expert in the diagnosis and treatment in a limited area in ophthalmology. When I returned to The Wilmer Institute in 1955 as Head of the Department I was the only full-time member of the staff. To date we have some 28 full-time ophthalmologists working in highly specialized areas of our institution.