Visible light induced ocular delayed bioluminescence as a possible origin of negative afterimage

TL;DR

This paper proposes that delayed bioluminescence within the eye, triggered by external light, may be a biological basis for negative afterimages, involving photophysical processes in ocular tissues.

Contribution

It introduces the novel idea that delayed bioluminescent photons in the eye could cause negative afterimages, linking biophoton emission to visual phenomena.

Findings

Experimental evidence of ultraweak biophoton emission in ocular tissues.

Delayed photon reemission can influence photoreceptor activity.

Potential biological mechanism for negative afterimages proposed.

Abstract

The delayed luminescence of biological tissues is an ultraweak reemission of absorbed photons after exposure to external monochromatic or white light illumination. Recently, Wang, B\'okkon, Dai and Antal (Brain Res. 2011) presented the first experimental proof of the existence of spontaneous ultraweak biophoton emission and visible light induced delayed ultraweak photon emission from in vitro freshly isolated rat's whole eye, lens, vitreous humor and retina. Here, we suggest that the photobiophysical source of negative afterimage can also occur within the eye by delayed bioluminescent photons. In other words, when we stare at a colored (or white) image for few seconds, external photons can induce excited electronic states within different parts of the eye that is followed by a delayed reemission of absorbed photons for several seconds. Finally, these reemitted photons can be absorbed by nonbleached photoreceptors that produce a negative afterimage. Although this suggests the photobiophysical source of negative afterimages is related retinal mechanisms, cortical neurons have also essential contribution in the interpretation and modulation of negative afterimages.