Accuracy and precision of small saccades

Abstract

AbstractDespite recent advances on the mechanisms and purposes of fine oculomotor behavior, a rigorous assessment of the precision and accuracy of the smallest saccades is still lacking. Yet knowledge of how effectively these movements shift gaze is necessary for understanding their functions and is helpful in further elucidating their motor underpinnings. Using a combination of high-resolution eye-tracking and gaze-contingent control, here we examined the accuracy and precision of saccades aimed toward targets ranging from $$7^\prime$$ 7 ′ to $$80^\prime$$ 80 ′ eccentricity. We show that even small saccades of just 14–$$20^\prime$$ 20 ′ are very effective in centering the stimulus on the retina. Furthermore, we show that for a target at any given eccentricity, the probability of eliciting a saccade depends on its efficacy in reducing the foveal offset. The pattern of results reported here is consistent with current knowledge on the motor mechanisms of microsaccade production.