The length of Henle fibers in the human retina and a model of ganglion receptive field density in the visual field

An experimental study of lateral displacement of ganglion cells (GCs) from foveal cones in six human retinas is reported. At 406–675 μm in length, as measured in radially oriented cross-sections, Henle fibers are substantially longer than previously reported. However, a new theoretical model indicates that the discrepancies in these reports are mainly due to meridional differences. The model takes into account the effects of optical degradation and peripheral ON/OFF asymmetry and predicts a central GC:cone ratio of 2.24:1. It provides estimates of cumulative counts and GC receptive field density at 0°–30° along the principal meridians of the visual field.