Effect of surround propinquity on the open-loop accommodative response

The effect of knowledge of surround propinquity, ie, awareness of proximity of the adjacent surroundings, on the open-loop accommodative response (AR) was determined by comparing measurements of accommodation obtained in total darkness in two different-sized rooms. The AR was measured in two laboratories, one 2.5-m square and the other 6.75 x 2.75 m. Steady-state accommodation was assessed on two occasions in each room using an infrared optometer. On the first occasion, the subjects (n = 10) were fully aware of the laboratory dimensions and topography. For the second trial, they were blind-folded before entering the laboratory and hence were unaware of the experimental location. When subjects were unaware of the laboratory dimensions, no significant difference existed between the recorded values of AR. However, when subjects were initially able to observe the size of the room, the AR in darkness was significantly higher in the smaller laboratory. This suggests that proximally induced accommodation, initiated by prior knowledge of the dimensions of the laboratory, was responsible for this increase in AR. Furthermore, it is proposed that complex interactions exist between proximal, tonic, and other nonoptical accommodative stimuli such that it may be impossible to isolate an individual, nonoptical accommodative component.