What is considered your peripheral vision?

Do you know when you see something out of the corner of your eye? That’s called your peripheral vision. It allows you to see objects all around you without moving your eyes or turning your head. Peripheral vision also called indirect or side vision, helps you sense motion, view objects, and sceneries. It also helps you walk around without running into things. It a crucial part of our vision.

Why is Peripheral Vision Important?

What is considered your peripheral vision?

Individuals with side vision loss often experience a “tunnel vision-like” effect as pictured above.

Combined with central vision, which is our ability to see things straight ahead and with sharp detail, peripheral vision allows us to see “the whole picture”. Particularly in crowded areas such as traffic, peripheral vision gives us a sense of visual perception by allowing us to see things on our sides. Accordingly, this type of vision is the result of different nerve cells and rods located outside of the macula. In addition, peripheral vision plays a more important role than our central vision in our ability to view objects in the dark. This is due to a large number of rods in the peripheral retina.

Fun Fact: Humans have a limited peripheral view as compared to animals.

Vision Loss & Testing

Unfortunately, there are several eye injuries and diseases that can cause loss of your peripheral vision. The most common cause being glaucoma, retinal detachment, optic neuritis, and head injuries. Moreover, individuals with side vision loss often have a sense of seeing through a narrow tube. This is a condition commonly referred to as “tunnel vision.”

Eye doctors typically include a peripheral vision test as part of a comprehensive eye exam or screening. This type of testing will have you focus on a target directly in front of you, such as an upraised finger. Then, with one eye covered you’ll be asked to describe things you see on either side. These objects exist in your peripherals. Other types of testing include automated machines with a series of blinking lights in the outer field of vision and special cards with specific patterns that create forced optical illusions.

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Of all the senses we perceive, vision is arguably one of the most important. In fact, human beings intake more than 80% of information from our eyes. It’s incredibly crucial to take care of your eyesight and routinely visit your eye care professionals. Contact Looking Glass Optical today to request an appointment. We work with clients all over Maryland and beyond to keep their vision in top shape. If you have any vision loss or eye issues, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Peripheral vision is our ability to see out of the corner of our eyes. This means that we're able to see things outside of our direct line of vision without having to turn our heads: a skill that comes in handy throughout our waking hours, even when we don't realize it.

When there's a problem with our peripheral vision, it means that it takes more effort to see what's around us; this may result in tripping, falling, or other accidents.

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There are two main types of vision that we use every day, usually without thinking about it. These include:

  • Central vision: This allows us to see what's going on directly in front of us, and typically, in clear detail (as long as we're wearing corrective lenses if we need them)
  • Peripheral vision: This is what we can see out of the corners of our eyes, without having to turn our head or neck.

Peripheral vision allows us to get a much more complete view of our surroundings. In fact, if you've ever heard someone described as "having blinders on," that's a reference to the blinders worn by horses. These flaps attached to a horse's bridle block their peripheral vision, only allowing them to see what's directly in front of them, but nothing on the sides of their path.

Of course, when the term is used in relation to a person, it's figurative; meaning that they have a limited view on something and ignoring (either deliberately or unconsciously) other perspectives around them. So when we're talking about our literal peripheral vision, it's referring to being able to see what's going on out of our direct line of vision.

When someone experiences a loss of their peripheral vision, it is sometimes referred to as "tunnel vision." To get a better idea of what is going on in an eye with peripheral vision loss, we must look to the two types of cells in the retina that respond to light:

  • Cones: Most of the cones are located in the center of the retina (also known as the macula) and allow us to see details and colors.
  • Rods: These are in charge of our peripheral and night vision, and are located throughout the rest of the retina.

So when someone has an eye condition that impacts the rods' function, that could lead to the loss of their peripheral vision—even if their cones are still fully operational.

Loss of peripheral vision can happen gradually—to the point where a person doesn't notice the onset—or suddenly, in which case it can be alarming and scary. Though in some cases (especially when the vision loss is gradual), people may not notice any signs that they're living with a limited view. But in other cases, there are a variety of signs that are hard to miss, including:

  • Tripping
  • Having trouble walking in the dark
  • Difficulty driving
  • Reading much slower than usual
  • Shimmers of light followed by tunnel vision lasting 10 to 20 minutes

Unless it is the result of an injury, the loss of a person's peripheral vision is typically a symptom of an eye condition. These can range from something minor and temporary, to more serious conditions, including:

  • Vitreous floater
  • Ocular migraine
  • Optic Neuritis
  • Glaucoma
  • Stroke
  • Retinitis pigmentosa
  • Retinal detachment 
  • Pituitary tumor
  • Carotid artery disease
  • Cytomegalovirus retinitis
  • Diabetic eye disease
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
  • Ischemic optic neuropathy
  • Low vision
  • Pigment dispersion syndrome
  • Retinal artery occlusion
  • Stickler Syndrome
  • Brain aneurysm

A person's peripheral vision is tested during the visual field test component of a comprehensive eye exam with their optometrist or ophthalmologist.

"Visual field" refers to the width of the area a person can see while focusing on a central point, so testing it gives the healthcare provider a better idea of a patient's peripheral vision capabilities. It's one of the many reasons why it's so important to get regular eye exams. When the healthcare provider has your visual field baseline, they can compare future tests to it in order to see if your vision has gotten worse over time.

The most common way to test someone's peripheral vision is with a confrontation visual field test. During this part of the exam, the patient will be asked to look directly at an object in front of them—like the healthcare provider's nose or their headgear—while one eye is covered. While continuing to stare straight ahead, the healthcare provider will hold up different numbers of fingers (or something similar) in the patient's peripheral vision and ask them what they're able to see. This will help the healthcare provider assess the quality of their peripheral vision and if it's lower than expected, it could be a signal that further testing might be needed.

Although it is not a replacement for a healthcare provider's visit and comprehensive eye exam, it is possible to take a peripheral vision test online. More specifically, it's a test for macular degeneration called the Amsler grid test. While it's recommended that people at risk for macular degeneration take the test daily, those who simply want to get a better idea of their peripheral vision capabilities can take it as needed.

If you lose your peripheral vision temporarily—as a result of a floater or ocular migraine, for example—and this is something that you've previously discussed with your healthcare provider, follow any instructions they gave you then. In any other situation, if you've lost your peripheral vision, it's important to see a healthcare provider as soon as possible, as it could be the symptom of a serious underlying condition.

When a person's loss of peripheral vision happens slowly over time—in which case, they may not even notice—it's something to bring up with their healthcare provider at their next exam.

But in cases when the peripheral vision loss is sudden, it's time to seek emergency treatment, as it could be the sign of a serious condition like a stroke or brain aneurysm.

When someone loses their peripheral vision, the primary way to cope is by making adjustments in:

  • Habits
  • Lifestyle
  • Surroundings

If a loved one loses their peripheral vision, it may be tempting to try to do everything for them to make their life easier. But in reality, you're making it more difficult for them to establish their independence and get used to taking care of themselves.

The person who has lost their peripheral vision has to get used to having to turn their head to see things they could previously do without the extra effort.

It's helpful for the person to go through their own house and do what they can to make sure their pathways are clear, and there aren't any other obstacles in their way.

Even if the frames and lenses of a pair of glasses are quite large, there are almost always small pockets of uncorrected vision when looking out of the corner of your eye—simply because the lens doesn't fully cover your eyeball. While many people get used to that, and function perfectly normally with glasses, others decide to get contact lenses instead, which come with much better results when it comes to peripheral vision.

Of course, the decision of how to correct your vision comes down to more than peripheral vision, but it's something to keep in mind and discuss with your eye healthcare provider.

Having any sort of problem with your eyes can be unsettling, and losing your peripheral vision is no exception. Because it is a symptom of a variety of other medical conditions—including some that are very serious—it's important to seek medical attention right away if you suddenly lose your peripheral vision. And because it can also be a gradual process, be sure to keep up with your regular eye exams, especially as you age.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How is peripheral vision tested?

    Peripheral vision can be tested using a "confrontation visual field test." First, a doctor stands in front of the person being tested and has them focus on one area, such as the doctor's headgear. The person being tested covers one eye, and the doctor raises different numbers of fingers in the person's peripheral vision. They are then asked how many fingers are held up at a time.

  • What is the difference between central and peripheral vision?

    Central vision is what we can see directly in front of us, while peripheral vision is what we can see from the corner of our eyes without turning our head.

  • What causes a loss in peripheral vision?

    A loss in peripheral vision is typically caused by an eye condition or eye injury. Some example of conditions that affect the eye include glaucoma (a group of diseases that damage the optic nerve), retinitis pigmentosa (breakdown of cells in the retina), and diabetes.