Foveal blur discrimination of the human eye

Although the effect of retinal defocus on the foveal blur detection threshold has been well investigated, knowledge regarding the foveal blur discrimination threshold is limited. In the present study, both thresholds were assessed psychophysically using the ascending method of limits at the fovea with accommodation paralyzed. The unidirectional blur detection threshold was 0.87+/-0.18 D (+/-1 S.E.M.). The subsequent blur discrimination thresholds were relatively constant and significantly smaller than the blur detection threshold, with an average value of 0.48+/-0.006 D (+/-1 S.E.M.). We speculate that the difference in magnitude between these two thresholds may be attributed to the defocus-related change in the ocular modulation transfer function (MTF) and its interaction with contrast discrimination ability, as well as to the presence of a neuroperceptual blur buffering mechanism.