Visual optics and retinal cone topography in the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Abstract

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is a small, diurnal, New World monkey amenable to vision research. In this paper we describe the visual optics and cone photoreceptor topography of the normal adult marmoset. Paraxial optical ray-tracing shows that the marmoset eye is well represented as a scaled-down version of the human eye. The density of foveal and perifoveal cone photoreceptors in the marmoset is as high, and in peripheral retina higher, than those reported in humans and macaques. The foveal acuity predicted by the Nyquist limits set by the cone mosaic (30 c/deg) is in agreement with behavioral measures of visual acuity. Foveal depth of focus is remarkably small (< 0.2 D) for an eye of this size (axial length about 11 mm). Estimates of the amplitude of accommodation using infrared photorefraction indicate that the marmoset is capable of more than 20 D of accommodation.