On the relation between ocular torsion and visual perception of line orientation

A recent study by Poljac et al. [Poljac, E., Lankheet, M. J. M., & van den Berg, A. (2005). Perceptual compensation for eye torsion. Vision Research, 45(4), 485–496] concluded that there was complete perceptual compensation for ocular torsion, although they did not directly measure ocular torsion. Using a similar eccentric-gaze paradigm to induce changes in torsion, which were directly measured, we found inconsistent torsional eye movements at eccentric fixation, and also failed to detect a significant relationship between ocular torsion and the perception of line orientation. We then used a stimulus known to induce large changes in ocular torsion: on-centre yaw rotation. This stimulus induced a consistent change in the torsional position of the eye which positively correlated to subjects’ visual perception of horizontal.