Determination of the point-spread function of human eyes using a hybrid optical–digital method

Abstract

A method for the determination of the bidimensional optical transfer function (OTF) and the point-spread function of human eyes is presented. Aerial short-term images of a point source are directly recorded with a TV camera and fed into a digital image-processing system that allows one to determine and display such functions. The method has been implemented in such a way that recording and computation can be carried out on a routine basis with minimum discomfort for the observer. A detailed description of the method and typical aerial and retinal images of a point source as well as the OTF’s results are presented in this paper.