The functional organization of an eye with bifocal lens.

几乎所有动物的眼睛都遵循一些相对较好理解的功能计划。 很少有眼睛被发现从根本上偏离已知类型，但这种例外经常导致视觉系统功能的令人兴奋的新发现。 朝阳潜水甲虫幼虫（Thermonectus marmoratus）的主要眼睛是动物王国中最奇怪和最奇怪的眼睛之一，但幼虫在捕获猎物方面非常成功。 非正统的视觉系统如何促进有效的猎物捕获？ 在解剖学上，眼睛的特征在于多层视网膜，其中一层视网膜对绿色光敏感，而第二层更深的视网膜对UV光敏感。 最近发现，这种视觉系统是用真正的双焦点晶状体运作的，这种结构以前从未在动物身上得到证实;这一发现导致了每个视网膜接收自己清晰图像的可能性。 此外，已经清楚的是，这些双焦点透镜使用了有趣的光学不对称性，使动物能够更清楚地看到两个图像中的每一个。 该项目将使用组织学和光学技术来研究晶状体的物理和光学组织，并将使用生理测量来确定光如何激发个体光感受器。 在整个项目期间，将培训几名本科生和研究生，外联活动将包括在当地学校进行科学实验。 通过更好地理解这些双焦点镜片的设计原理，预期对整个社会产生更广泛的影响，这些原理可能导致商业双焦点和多焦点系统的改进设计以及新型材料的开发。

Almost all animal eyes follow a few and relatively well-understood functional plans. Only rarely is an eye discovered that diverges fundamentally from known types, yet such exceptions frequently lead to exciting new discoveries in visual system function. The principal eyes of the Sunburst Diving Beetle larvae (Thermonectus marmoratus) are among the most bizarre and strangely organized eyes in the animal kingdom, yet the larvae are extremely successful at capturing prey. How does the unorthodox visual system facilitate efficient prey capture? Anatomically, the eyes are characterized by multiple layered retinas, one of which is sensitive to green light whereas a second, deeper retina is sensitive to UV light. It was recently discovered that this visual system operates with truly bifocal lenses, an organization never before demonstrated in an animal; this finding leads to the possibility that each retina receives its own sharp image. Moreover it has become clear that these bifocal lenses use an interesting optical asymmetry that allows the animal to see each of the two images more clearly. This project will use histological and optical techniques to investigate the physical and optical organization of lenses and will use physiological measurements to determine how light excites individual photoreceptors. Throughout the project, several undergraduate and graduate students will be trained, and outreach activities will include science experiments at local schools. A broader impact on the society at large is expected from a better understanding of the design principles of these bifocal lenses, principles that potentially could lead to improved designs of commercial bifocal and multifocal systems and the development of novel materials.