The adaptive significance of the location of the optic disk

Abstract

Although the 'filling in' of each blind spot by healthy retina in the other eye has long been described as an adaptive property of the spatial arrangement of the optic disks, an explanation of why the disks are specifically located where they are has yet to be proposed. A rationale for their horizontal position in humans is offered that is based on the projections of the blind spots in visual space in relation to fixation distance and to the protrusion of the bony facial occlusion of the nose bridge.