Vision: How The Eye Sees The World

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2011:

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s programs. This subject requires all students to actively and safely participate in laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their participation are encouraged to discuss this with the subject coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

This subject aims to provide a primary understanding of basic vision functions and visual perception. Topics to be covered include light, its measurement and quantification, the transmission characteristics of the eye and perceptual attributes; basic anatomy of the eye and visual pathways as they relate to visual perception and refractive error (near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism); detailed anatomy of the orbit, and orbital contents, including the extra-ocular muscles and their actions; comparative anatomy and physiology discussing how human eyes are at the same time both similar and dissimilar to those of other species with regard to general structure, colour vision, visual acuity and accommodation; experimental approaches used to measure sensory modalities; fundamental attributes of our monocular processes such as the perception of colour, temporal (flicker) vision, form (spatial) vision and the space sense; and basic binocular function including the perception of depth and stereopsis. You will learn what 20/20 vision means and why we perceive depth with the 'magic eye' pictures. Congenital and acquired visual anomalies will be used throughout the course to illustrate visual dysfunction.

Two 30-minute multiple-choice tests held during the semester (5% each); six practical report sheets submitted at the end of each practical (15% total); a 2-hour written examination in the examination period (75%).

It is a hurdle requirement that students participate meaningfully in the on-line discussion forum on the LMS (Learning Management System) by asking questions and participating in discussions, consistent with requirements in the subject guide.

• S H Schwartz, Visual Perception: A Clinical Orientation 3rd Ed, McGraw-Hill Professional, 2004.
• E B Goldstein, Sensation and Perception 7th Ed, Wadsworth-Thompson Learning, 2006.

This subject potentially can be taken as a breadth subject component for the following courses:

• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Commerce
• Bachelor of Environments
• Bachelor of Music

You should visit learn more about breadth subjects and read the breadth requirements for your degree, and should discuss your choice with your student adviser, before deciding on your subjects.

This subject challenges students to develop sceptical and critical thinking abilities as they synthesise information from lecture, web and practical resources and interpret their observations in a scientific manner. Opportunities will be provided for students to work collaboratively with other students during laboratory sessions, but individuals will need to develop time-managements skills to manage their own time effectively in order to complete the practical sessions tasks (for ongoing assessment) as well as prepare for the end of semester examination.

This subject is available for science credit to students enrolled in the BSc (both pre-2008 and new degrees), BASc or a combined BSc course.