| Abstract: | Spectral splitting of light by retinal glial cells improves vision The primary event of vision is the absorption of light by the retinal photoreceptors - cones and rods. However, due to the ‘inverted’ structure of the retina, the incident light must propagate through reflecting and scattering cellular layers before reaching the photoreceptors. In this talk I will discuss and show how Müller cells function as wavelength-dependent wave-guides, concentrating the green-red part of the visible spectrum onto cones and allowing the blue-purple part to leak onto nearby rods. Therefore, light propagation by Müller cells through the retina can be considered as an integral part of the first step in the visual process, increasing photon absorption by cones without hampering rod-mediated vision. |
