Final answer:
The opponent-process theory accounts for afterimages in color vision by describing how cells in the visual system respond to colors in opposite pairs, leading to the perception of the opposite color when the initial stimulus is removed. It complements but does not exclude the trichromatic theory which applies to the retina.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of color vision that accounts for afterimages is known as the opponent-process theory. This theory proposes that we perceive colors in pairs of opposites: black-white, yellow-blue, and green-red. According to opponent-process theory, certain cells in the visual system are stimulated by one color in a pair and inhibited by the other. This pattern of excitation and inhibition can lead to the experience of afterimages. After fixating on a colored stimulus for some time and then looking at a white surface, the cells that were stimulated begin to decrease their activity, causing the brain to perceive the opposite color, resulting in a negative afterimage effect. This phenomenon supports the opponent-process theory where ganglion cells respond to binary opposites and change their firing rates after the original stimulus is removed, causing the visual system to interpret the absence of the initial color as its opponent.
Another theory mentioned is the retinex theory proposed by Edwin Land which suggests that our perception of color is due to a comparison of information across the three types of cones in the retina, a concept expanded upon in experiments that demonstrate color vision through image comparisons.
It's also important to note that the opponent-process theory and the trichromatic theory of color vision, which states that we have three types of cones responsive to red, blue, and green, are not mutually exclusive. Studies have shown that the trichromatic theory applies to the initial photoreceptor level within the retina, while the opponent-process theory describes the processing that occurs as the signal progresses towards the brain.