Answer to Question #75194 in Optics for Kush

Question

Discuss the opponent-process theory of colour vision

Answer 1

The opponent process theory of color vision suggests that our ability to perceive color is controlled by three receptor complexes with opposing actions. These three receptors complexes are the red-green complex, the blue-yellow complex, and the black-white complex.
According to the opponent process theory, these cells can only detect the presence of one color at a time because the two colors oppose one another.
You do not see greenish-red because the opponent cells can only detect one of these colors at a time.
The opponent color process works through a process of excitatory and inhibitory responses, with the two components of each mechanism opposing each other.
For example, red creates a positive (or excitatory) response, while green creates a negative (or inhibitory) response. These responses are controlled by opponent neurons, which are neurons that have an excitatory response to some wavelengths and an inhibitory response to wavelengths in the opponent part of the spectrum.