Walter Makous

Walter Makous is a Professor in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Center for Visual Science at the University of Rochester. His research investigates fundamental mechanisms of visual processing, including adaptation, contrast sensitivity, spatial and temporal vision, and binocular interactions. He employs psychophysical, electrophysiological, and computational approaches to understand neural coding in the visual system.

Research interests span:

• Adaptation dynamics and contrast gain control mechanisms
• Spatiotemporal properties of vision and neural filtering
• Binocular interactions and fusion processes
• Retinal physiology and photoreceptor function
• Development of advanced optical methods for vision research

His extensive publication record demonstrates consistent focus on psychophysical paradigms and computational modeling of visual processes. Recent work explores adaptive optics applications for retinal imaging and neural plasticity induced by perceptual training.

Research has been continuously supported by the National Eye Institute from 1968 to 2003.