Aspheric curvatures, refractive indices and chromatic aberration for the rat eye

Abstract

Thicknesses and curvatures of the optic components of enucleated eyes were determined in both transverse and sagittal planes. The cornea and lens surfaces are closer approximations to spheres than are the retina and choroid. Refractive indices of the cornea, aqueous and vitreous humours were obtained by two techniques at eight wavelengths across the visible spectrum. Photography of light beams passing through the crystalline lens immersed in albumin gave the "back vertex power", and thus (assuming homogeneity) the "equivalent" refractive index. With this assumption, which is supported by additional modelling, calculations for the eyes of six individual rats show chromatic aberration across the spectrum of 5.8 (5.5-6.0) diopter. Longitudinal chromatic aberration may make a significant contribution to image blur.