Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Split Retina as an Improved Flatmount Preparation for Studying Inner Nuclear Layer Neurons in Vertebrate Retina
Published on: January 16, 2024
Retinal polarization effects
1Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20707, USA.
Abstract:
Retinal photographs taken with crossed polarizers in the input and recording light paths show a cross or brush pattern overlying the macula. Experiments were done indicating that this pattern is due to the birefringence in cone-photoreceptor outer segments. Haidinger's brushes are also attributed to cone outer segments, but the effect is due to a combination of the dispersion in the birefringence and the dichroism of the outer segments. The objective, polarized-light retinal pattern is shown to be a useful clinical tool for diagnosing diseases affecting the macula.
More Related Videos
10:02Large-Scale Purification of Porcine or Bovine Photoreceptor Outer Segments for Phagocytosis Assays on Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Published on: December 12, 2014
07:59Efficient and Consistent Generation of Retinal Pigment Epithelium/Choroid Flatmounts from Human Eyes for Histological Analysis
Published on: October 28, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Photoreceptors and Visual Pathways
The Retina
Anatomy of the Eyeball