Color vision in the peripheral retina under photopic conditions.

Chromaticities of spectral colors were measured during the cone-plateau period at 17 degrees, 25 degrees, 40 degrees and 60 degrees in the nasal field of view and at 40 degrees and 70 degrees in the temporal field. The results obtained in the nasal field show a progressive contraction of the color gamut with distance from the fovea with maximum shrinkage in the middle-wave region. Color discrimination in the temporal field of view was found to be much better developed than in the nasal field. Thus, all the primary hues were clearly observable at 70 degrees temporally. The exceptionally good color discrimination obtained in the present study is explained on the assumption that only cones are effectively excited upon stimulation during the cone-plateau period.