Abstract

We performed psychophysical experiments to determine the effects of transverse chromatic aberration on observer performance through a specially designed telescopic system that presents negligible monochromatic aberration. Our results provide the basis for assessing the performance of visually coupled lenses in detail. The effect of transverse color on contrast sensitivity is more severe than on resolution. Color effects are compared with those of astigmatism: It is shown how one may make detailed predictions of system performance in order to decide on the necessary balance of aberrations at the design stage.

© 1993 Optical Society of America

Aberration tolerances for visual optical systems*†

Michael K. Giles
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(5) 634-643 (1977)

Effect of instrumental spherical aberration on visual image quality

Kevin Lyons, Pantazis Mouroulis, and Desmond Cheng
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 13(2) 193-205 (1996)

Visual performance after correcting the monochromatic and chromatic aberrations of the eye

Geun-Young Yoon and David R. Williams
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 19(2) 266-275 (2002)

Tolerance to visual defocus

Gordon E. Legge, Kathy T. Mullen, George C. Woo, and F. W. Campbell
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 4(5) 851-863 (1987)

Visual instrument image quality metrics and the effects of coma and astigmatism

Pantazis Mouroulis and Hongping Zhang
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 9(1) 34-42 (1992)