Area centralis position relative to the optic disc projection in kittens as a function of age

Changes during development of the optic disc projection relative to the area centralis position in the visual field were studied in the kitten. The determinations were based both on direct measurement and physiological location of these retinal landmark projections. The results showed that the relative distance between these retinal landmarks in visual space became shorter with age, indicating that the visual field coordinates change extensively with age. Since the area centralis cannot be seen in most young kittens, the mean distances we have determined for the landmarks in the visual field may provide a useful means of estimating the position of area centralis from the projected position of the optic disc. Our results also confirm the nonuniform growth of the retina suggested already from anatomical observations. Taking into account both eye growth and the changes in the visual field coordinates allowed some reinterpretation of changes in physiological properties of the visual cells known to occur during development, such as decreased size of the visual receptive fields, increased spatial resolution and increased responsiveness to high velocity visual stimuli.