Online retinal topography archive launched

A new online database of retinal topography maps has been launched by the Optometrists Association of Australia.

Created by Professor Shaun P. Collin from the School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, the database is the first to assemble previously published retinal topography maps from around the world. Currently there are more than 770 images available from 160 species. Collin hopes that the database will advance the evolutionary and environmental study of the visual systems of a wide range of vertebrates.

The result of nearly three years of research and compilation, the database is sourced from libraries and universities from around the world, in addition to Collin's own collection. Each map shows a whole mounted retina with orientation axes, a scale and density of cells. Many of them depict the distribution of a range of retinal neurons, including photoreceptors, horizontal cells, amacrine cells, bipolar cells and ganglion cells. Where available, a database of associated information is also listed for each species.

To view the database or add to the collection please click here.