1932
0
  1. Home
  2. A-Z Publications
  3. Annual Review of Vision Science
  4. Volume 9, 2023
  5. Article

Annual Review of Vision Science

Volume 9, 2023

What Is a Preferred Retinal Locus?

Abstract

This review examines the concept of the preferred retinal locus (PRL) in patients with macular diseases. Considering monocular and binocular viewing, we () explain how to identify the PRL and discuss the pitfalls associated with its measurement, () review the current hypotheses for PRL development, () assess whether the PRL is the new reference point of the ocular motor system, and discuss () the functional and () the clinical implications of the PRL. We conclude that the current definition of the PRL is probably incomplete and should incorporate the need to evaluate the PRL in the framework of binocular viewing. We emphasize the need for more research.

Keyword(s): binocular viewing, central vision loss, fixation stability, macular degeneration, preferred retinal locus, PRL
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123909
2023-09-15
2024-05-06
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

/deliver/fulltext/vision/9/1/annurev-vision-111022-123909.html?itemId=/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123909&mimeType=html&fmt=ahah

Literature Cited

  1. Amore FM, Fasciani R, Silvestri V, Crossland MD, de Waure C et al. 2013a. Relationship between fixation stability measured with MP-1 and reading performance. Ophthalmic Physiol. Opt. 33:611–17
     [Google Scholar]
  2. Amore FM, Paliotta S, Silvestri V, Piscopo P, Turco S, Reibaldi A. 2013b. Biofeedback stimulation in patients with age-related macular degeneration: comparison between 2 different methods. Can. J. Ophthalmol. 48:431–37
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Baker N, Elder JH 2022. Deep learning models fail to capture the configural nature of human shape perception. iScience 25:104913
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Bernard JB, Chung STL. 2018. Visual acuity is not the best at the preferred retinal locus in people with macular disease. Optom. Vis. Sci. 95:829–36
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Bethlehem RA, Dumoulin SO, Dalmaijer ES, Smit M, Berendschot TT et al. 2014. Decreased fixation stability of the preferred retinal location in juvenile macular degeneration. PLOS ONE 9:e100171
     [Google Scholar]
  6. Bronstad PM, Albu A, Bowers AR, Goldstein R, Peli E. 2015. Driving with central visual field loss II: how scotomas above or below the preferred retinal locus (PRL) affect hazard detection in a driving simulator. PLOS ONE 10:e0136517
     [Google Scholar]
  7. Bullimore MA, Bailey IL. 1995. Reading and eye movements in age-related maculopathy. Optom. Vis. Sci. 72:125–38
     [Google Scholar]
  8. Cacciamani A, Gelso A, Di Nicola M, Scarinci F, Ripandelli G et al. 2020. Inverted ILM-flap techniques variants for macular hole surgery: randomized clinical trial to compare retinal sensitivity and fixation stability. Sci. Rep. 10:15832
     [Google Scholar]
  9. Calabrèse A, Bernard JB, Faure G, Hoffart L, Castet E. 2014. Eye movements and reading speed in macular disease: the shrinking perceptual span hypothesis requires and is supported by a mediation analysis. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 55:3638–45
     [Google Scholar]
  10. Calabrèse A, Bernard JB, Hoffart L, Faure G, Barouch F et al. 2011. Wet versus dry age-related macular degeneration in patients with central field loss: different effects on maximum reading speed. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 52:2417–24
     [Google Scholar]
  11. Caputo R, Febbrini Del Magro E, Amoaku WM, Bacci GM, Marziali E, Morales MU 2021. The efficacy of biofeedback visual rehabilitation therapy in patients with infantile nystagmus syndrome: a retrospective study. Eur. J. Ophthalmol. 31:2101–6
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Castet E, Crossland M. 2012. Quantifying eye stability during a fixation task: a review of definitions and methods. Seeing Perceiving 25:449–69
     [Google Scholar]
  13. Chen WC, Wang Y, Li XX. 2012. Morphologic and functional evaluation before and after successful macular hole surgery using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography combined with microperimetry. Retina 32:1733–42
     [Google Scholar]
  14. Cheong AM, Legge GE, Lawrence MG, Cheung SH, Ruff MA. 2008. Relationship between visual span and reading performance in age-related macular degeneration. Vis. Res. 48:577–88
     [Google Scholar]
  15. Cheung SH, Legge GE. 2005. Functional and cortical adaptations to central vision loss. Vis. Neurosci. 22:187–201
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Cho HJ, Kim CG, Yoo SJ, Cho SW, Lee DW et al. 2013. Retinal functional changes measured by microperimetry in neovascular age-related macular degeneration treated with ranibizumab. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 155:118–26.e1
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Chung ST. 2013. The Glenn A. Fry Award Lecture 2012: plasticity of the visual system following central vision loss. Optom. Vis. Sci. 90:520–29
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Chung STL. 2020. Reading in the presence of macular disease: a mini-review. Ophthalmic Physiol. Optics 40:171–86
     [Google Scholar]
  19. Crossland MD, Crabb DP, Rubin GS. 2011a. Task-specific fixation behavior in macular disease. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 52:411–16
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Crossland MD, Culham LE, Kabanarou SA, Rubin GS. 2005. Preferred retinal locus development in patients with macular disease. Ophthalmology 112:1579–85
     [Google Scholar]
  21. Crossland MD, Engel SA, Legge GE. 2011b. The preferred retinal locus in macular disease: toward a consensus definition. Retina 31:2109–14
     [Google Scholar]
  22. Crossland MD, Sims M, Galbraith RF, Rubin GS. 2004. Evaluation of a new quantitative technique to assess the number and extent of preferred retinal loci in macular disease. Vis. Res. 44:1537–46
     [Google Scholar]
  23. Denniss J, Baggaley HC, Brown GM, Rubin GS, Astle AT. 2017. Properties of visual field defects around the monocular preferred retinal locus in age-related macular degeneration. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 58:2652–58
     [Google Scholar]
  24. Dougherty RF, Koch VM, Brewer AA, Fischer B, Modersitzki J, Wandell BA. 2003. Visual field representations and locations of visual areas V1/2/3 in human visual cortex. J. Vis. 3:586–98
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Erbezci M, Ozturk T. 2018. Preferred retinal locus locations in age-related macular degeneration. Retina 38:2372–78
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Ergun E, Maár N, Radner W, Barbazetto I, Schmidt-Erfurth U, Stur M. 2003. Scotoma size and reading speed in patients with subfoveal occult choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology 110:65–69
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Faria BM, Duman F, Zheng CX, Waisbourd M, Gupta L et al. 2015. Evaluating contrast sensitivity in age-related macular degeneration using a novel computer-based test, the Spaeth/Richman contrast sensitivity test. Retina 35:1465–73
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Faubert J, Overbury O. 2000. Binocular vision in older people with adventitious visual impairment: Sometimes one eye is better than two. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 48:375–80
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Fletcher DC, Schuchard RA. 1997. Preferred retinal loci relationship to macular scotomas in a low-vision population. Ophthalmology 104:632–38
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Fujii GY, De Juan E Jr., Humayun MS, Sunness JS, Chang TS, Rossi JV 2003. Characteristics of visual loss by scanning laser ophthalmoscope microperimetry in eyes with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 136:1067–78
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Fujii GY, De Juan E Jr., Sunness J, Humayun MS, Pieramici DJ, Chang TS 2002. Patient selection for macular translocation surgery using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Ophthalmology 109:1737–44
     [Google Scholar]
  32. González EG, Mandelcorn MS, Mandelcorn ED, Tarita-Nistor L 2019. Effect of visual feedback on the eye position stability of patients with AMD. Vision 3:59
     [Google Scholar]
  33. González EG, Tarita-Nistor L, Mandelcorn ED, Mandelcorn M, Steinbach MJ. 2011. Fixation control before and after treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 52:4208–13
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Greenstein VC, Santos RA, Tsang SH, Smith RT, Barile GR, Seiple W. 2008. Preferred retinal locus in macular disease: characteristics and clinical implications. Retina 28:1234–40
     [Google Scholar]
  35. Guez JE, Le Gargasson JF, Rigaudiere F, O'Regan JK 1993. Is there a systematic location for the pseudo-fovea in patients with central scotoma?. Vis. Res. 33:1271–79
     [Google Scholar]
  36. Hassan SE, Lovie-Kitchin JE, Woods RL. 2002. Vision and mobility performance of subjects with age-related macular degeneration. Optom. Vis. Sci. 79:697–707
     [Google Scholar]
  37. Horton JC, Hoyt WF. 1991. The representation of the visual field in human striate cortex. A revision of the classic Holmes map. Arch. Ophthalmol. 109:816–24
     [Google Scholar]
  38. Kabanarou SA, Crossland MD, Bellmann C, Rees A, Culham LE, Rubin GS. 2006. Gaze changes with binocular versus monocular viewing in age-related macular degeneration. Ophthalmology 113:2251–58
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Kisilevsky E, Tarita-Nistor L, González EG, Mandelcorn MS, Brent MH et al. 2016. Characteristics of the preferred retinal loci of better and worse seeing eyes of patients with a central scotoma. Can. J. Ophthalmol. 51:362–67
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Kumar G, Chung ST. 2014. Characteristics of fixational eye movements in people with macular disease. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 55:5125–33
     [Google Scholar]
  41. Kwon M, Nandy AS, Tjan BS. 2013. Rapid and persistent adaptability of human oculomotor control in response to simulated central vision loss. Curr. Biol. 23:1663–69
     [Google Scholar]
  42. Legge GE, Mansfield JS, Chung ST. 2001. Psychophysics of reading. XX. Linking letter recognition to reading speed in central and peripheral vision. Vis. Res. 41:725–43
     [Google Scholar]
  43. Lei H, Schuchard RA. 1997. Using two preferred retinal loci for different lighting conditions in patients with central scotomas. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 38:1812–18
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Liu H, Bittencourt MG, Sophie R, Sepah YJ, Hanout M et al. 2015. Fixation stability measurement using two types of microperimetry devices. Transl. Vis. Sci. Technol. 4:3
     [Google Scholar]
  45. Liu Y, Wang Y, Dong Y, Liang D, Xie S et al. 2021. Characteristics of fixation patterns and their relationship with visual function of patients with idiopathic macular holes after vitrectomy. Sci. Rep. 11:7658
     [Google Scholar]
  46. Logan AJ, Gordon GE, Loffler G. 2020. The effect of age-related macular degeneration on components of face perception. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 61:38
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Mandelcorn MS, Podbielski DW, Mandelcorn ED. 2013. Fixation stability as a goal in the treatment of macular disease. Can. J. Ophthalmol. 48:364–67
     [Google Scholar]
  48. Markowitz SN, Reyes SV. 2013. Microperimetry and clinical practice: an evidence-based review. Can. J. Ophthalmol. 48:350–57
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Midena E, Pilotto E 2017. Microperimetry in age: related macular degeneration. Eye 31:985–94
     [Google Scholar]
  50. Nilsson UL, Frennesson C, Nilsson SE. 2003. Patients with AMD and a large absolute central scotoma can be trained successfully to use eccentric viewing, as demonstrated in a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Vis. Res. 43:1777–87
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Ozdemir H, Karacorlu M, Senturk F, Karacorlu SA, Uysal O. 2010. Retinal sensitivity and fixation changes 1 year after triamcinolone acetonide assisted internal limiting membrane peeling for macular hole surgery—a MP-1 microperimetric study. Acta Ophthalmol. 88:e222–27
     [Google Scholar]
  52. Pearce E, Sivaprasad S, Chong NV. 2011. Comparing fixation location and stability in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration treated with or without Ranibizumab. Eye 25:149–53
     [Google Scholar]
  53. Pyatova Y, Markowitz SN, Devenyi RG, Tarita-Nistor L. 2022. MAIA microperimeter for short-duration fixation stability measurements in central vision loss: repeatability and comparison with the Nidek MP1. Ophthalmic Physiol. Opt. 42:633–43
     [Google Scholar]
  54. Rayner K. 1998. Eye movements in reading and information processing: 20 years of research. Psychol. Bull. 124:372–422
     [Google Scholar]
  55. Reinhard J, Messias A, Dietz K, Mackeben M, Lakmann R et al. 2007. Quantifying fixation in patients with Stargardt disease. Vis. Res. 47:2076–85
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Rohrschneider K. 2004. Determination of the location of the fovea on the fundus. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 45:3257–58
     [Google Scholar]
  57. Rohrschneider K, Becker M, Kruse FE, Fendrich T, Völcker HE. 1995. Stability of fixation: results of fundus-controlled examination using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Ger. J. Ophthalmol. 4:197–202
     [Google Scholar]
  58. Ro-Mase T, Ishiko S, Yoshida A. 2020. Effect of background brightness on preferred retinal loci in patients with macular disease. Transl. Vis. Sci. Technol. 9:32
     [Google Scholar]
  59. Rubin GS. 2013. Measuring reading performance. Vis. Res. 90:43–51
     [Google Scholar]
  60. Scherlen A-C, Bernard J-B, Calabrese A, Castet E. 2008. Page mode reading with simulated scotomas: oculo-motor patterns. Vis. Res. 48:1870–78
     [Google Scholar]
  61. Seiple W, Rosen RB, Garcia PM. 2013. Abnormal fixation in individuals with age-related macular degeneration when viewing an image of a face. Optom. Vis. Sci. 90:45–56
     [Google Scholar]
  62. Shanidze NM, Lively Z, Lee R, Verghese P. 2022. Saccadic contributions to smooth pursuit in macular degeneration. Vis. Res. 200:108102
     [Google Scholar]
  63. Silvestri V, Sasso P, Piscopo P, Amore F, Rizzo S et al. 2020. Reading with central vision loss: binocular summation and inhibition. Ophthalmic Physiol. Opt. 40:778–89
     [Google Scholar]
  64. Silvestri V, Turco S, Piscopo P, Guidobaldi M, Perna F et al. 2021. Biofeedback stimulation in the visually impaired: a systematic review of literature. Ophthalmic Physiol. Opt. 41:342–64
     [Google Scholar]
  65. Steinman RM. 1965. Effect of target size, luminance, and color on monocular fixation. J. Opt. Soc. Am. 55:1158–64
     [Google Scholar]
  66. Sunness JS, Applegate CA. 2005. Long-term follow-up of fixation patterns in eyes with central scotomas from geographic atrophy that is associated with age-related macular degeneration. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 140:1085–93
     [Google Scholar]
  67. Sunness JS, Applegate CA, Haselwood D, Rubin GS. 1996. Fixation patterns and reading rates in eyes with central scotomas from advanced atrophic age-related macular degeneration and Stargardt disease. Ophthalmology 103:1458–66
     [Google Scholar]
  68. Tarita-Nistor L, Brent MH, Markowitz SN, Steinbach MJ, González EG. 2013. Maximum reading speed and binocular summation in patients with central vision loss. Can. J. Ophthalmol. 48:443–49
     [Google Scholar]
  69. Tarita-Nistor L, Brent MH, Steinbach MJ, González EG. 2011. Fixation stability during binocular viewing in patients with age-related macular degeneration. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 52:1887–93
     [Google Scholar]
  70. Tarita-Nistor L, Brent MH, Steinbach MJ, González EG. 2012. Fixation patterns in maculopathy: from binocular to monocular viewing. Optom. Vis. Sci. 89:277–87
     [Google Scholar]
  71. Tarita-Nistor L, Eizenman M, Landon-Brace N, Markowitz SN, Steinbach MJ, González EG. 2015. Identifying absolute preferred retinal locations during binocular viewing. Optom. Vis. Sci. 92:863–72
     [Google Scholar]
  72. Tarita-Nistor L, Gill I, González EG, Steinbach MJ. 2017a. Fixation stability recording: how long for eyes with central vision loss?. Optom. Vis. Sci. 94:311–16
     [Google Scholar]
  73. Tarita-Nistor L, González EG, Brin T, Mandelcorn MS, Scherlen AC et al. 2017b. Fixation stability and viewing distance in patients with AMD. Optom. Vis. Sci. 94:239–45
     [Google Scholar]
  74. Tarita-Nistor L, González EG, Mandelcorn MS, Brent MH, Markowitz SN, Steinbach MJ. 2018. The reading accessibility index and quality of reading grid of patients with central vision loss. Ophthalmic Physiol. Opt. 38:88–97
     [Google Scholar]
  75. Tarita-Nistor L, González EG, Mandelcorn MS, Lillakas L, Steinbach MJ. 2009a. Fixation stability, fixation location, and visual acuity after successful macular hole surgery. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 50:84–89
     [Google Scholar]
  76. Tarita-Nistor L, González EG, Markowitz SN, Steinbach MJ. 2006. Binocular interactions in patients with age-related macular degeneration: acuity summation and rivalry. Vis. Res. 46:2487–98
     [Google Scholar]
  77. Tarita-Nistor L, González EG, Markowitz SN, Steinbach MJ. 2008. Fixation characteristics of patients with macular degeneration recorded with the mp-1 microperimeter. Retina 28:125–33
     [Google Scholar]
  78. Tarita-Nistor L, González EG, Markowitz SN, Steinbach MJ. 2009b. Plasticity of fixation in patients with central vision loss. Vis. Neurosci. 26:487–94
     [Google Scholar]
  79. Tarita-Nistor L, Mandelcorn MS. 2022. Binocularity principles of PRL development in patients with macular disease. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 63:19
     [Google Scholar]
  80. Tarita-Nistor L, Mandelcorn MS, Mandelcorn ED, Markowitz SN. 2020. Effect of disease progression on the PRL location in patients with bilateral central vision loss. Transl. Vis. Sci. Technol. 9:47
     [Google Scholar]
  81. Taylor DJ, Smith ND, Crabb DP. 2017. Searching for objects in everyday scenes: measuring performance in people with dry age-related macular degeneration. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 58:1887–92
     [Google Scholar]
  82. Timberlake GT, Mainster MA, Peli E, Augliere RA, Essock EA, Arend LE. 1986. Reading with a macular scotoma. I. Retinal location of scotoma and fixation area. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 27:1137–47
     [Google Scholar]
  83. Timberlake GT, Sharma MK, Grose SA, Gobert DV, Gauch JM, Maino JH. 2005. Retinal location of the preferred retinal locus relative to the fovea in scanning laser ophthalmoscope images. Optom. Vis. Sci. 82:177–85
     [Google Scholar]
  84. Van der Stigchel S, Bethlehem RA, Klein BP, Berendschot TT, Nijboer TC, Dumoulin SO. 2013. Macular degeneration affects eye movement behavior during visual search. Front. Psychol. 4:579
     [Google Scholar]
  85. Varadaraj V, Lesche S, Ramulu PY, Swenor BK. 2018. Reading speed and reading comprehension in age-related macular degeneration. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 186:138–43
     [Google Scholar]
  86. Varano M, Tedeschi M, Oddone F, Perillo L, Coppè AM, Parravano M. 2010. Microperimetric retinal changes in myopic choroidal neovascularization treated with intravitreal ranibizumab. Retina 30:413–17
     [Google Scholar]
  87. Verghese P, Ghahghaei S. 2020. Predicting stereopsis in macular degeneration. J. Neurosci. 40:5465–70
     [Google Scholar]
  88. Verghese P, Tyson TL, Ghahghaei S, Fletcher DC. 2016. Depth perception and grasp in central field loss. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 57:1476–87
     [Google Scholar]
  89. Verghese P, Vullings C, Shanidze N. 2021. Eye movements in macular degeneration. Annu. Rev. Vis. Sci. 7:773–91
     [Google Scholar]
  90. Vinding T. 1990. Visual impairment of age-related macular degeneration. An epidemiological study of 1000 aged individuals. Acta Ophthalmol. 68:162–67
     [Google Scholar]
  91. Von Noorden GK, Mackensen G. 1962. Phenomenology of eccentric fixation. Am. J. Ophthalmol. 53:642–60
     [Google Scholar]
  92. Vullings C, Lively Z, Verghese P. 2022. Saccades during visual search in macular degeneration. Vis. Res. 201:108113
     [Google Scholar]
  93. White JM, Bedell HE. 1990. The oculomotor reference in humans with bilateral macular disease. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 31:1149–61
     [Google Scholar]
  94. Whittaker SG, Budd J, Cummings RW. 1988. Eccentric fixation with macular scotoma. Investig. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 29:268–78
     [Google Scholar]
  95. Yang X, Wang Z, Yu Y, Liu L, Qi B et al. 2022. Changes of fixation stability and location after epiretinal membrane surgery. Retina 42:883–91
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123909
Loading
What Is a Preferred Retinal Locus?
Annual Review of Vision Science 9, 201 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123909
/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123909
/content/journals/10.1146/annurev-vision-111022-123909
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Review Article

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error