Appreciation of paintings through Ophthalmology

There are 2 kinds of illusion; the one is caused by psychologic component and the other by physiological component (retinal structure). In the latter, the phenomenon of Mach bands has been used throughout the history of art such as paintings of Japanese ink. Color mixture of paints, which is light-absorptive and subtractive, are seen in heavy paintings of the Classicism . On the other hand, the theory of color mixture of light, which provides additive brightness and an intermediate wavelength, is taken in the Impressionism and Pointillism. The lens becomes so opaque that short wavelength-light is prohibited and contrast sensitivity decreases. Consequently, cataract patients draw warm-colored and obscure paintings. In the macular hole, patients do not draw central scotoma but pincushion distortion, although the retina is defected in the fovea . This phenomenon is caused by eccentric displacement of the foveal photoreceptors. 別 冊 請 求 先 (〒020-0066) 岩 手 県 盛 岡 市 上 田1丁 目4-1