THE PREDICTION OF SPHERICAL-ABERRATION WITH SCHEMATIC EYES

Many model eyes have been proposed; they differ in optical characteris tics and therefore have different aberrations and image quality. In pr edicting the visual performance of the eye, we are most concerned with the central foveal vision. Spherical aberration is the only on-axis m onochromatic aberration and can be used as a criterion to assess the d egree of resemblance of eye models to the human eye. We reviewed and c ompiled experimental values of the spherical aberration of the eye, ca lculated the spherical aberration of several different categories of m odel eyes and compared the calculated results to the experimental data . Results show an over-estimation of spherical aberration by all model s, the finite schematic eyes predicting values of spherical aberration closest to the experimental data. Current model eyes do not predict t he average experimental Values of the spherical aberration of the eye. A new model eye satisfying this assessment criterion is required for investigations of the visual performance of the eye. Copyright (C) 199 6 The College of Optometrists. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.