See Also: Peripheral vision(health)
peripheral vision(medicine)
Peripheral(medicine)
Peripheral(health)
peripheral(dictionary)
Peripheral Neuropathy(health)
peripheral glare(medicine)
peripheral dysostosis(medicine)
peripheral chemoreceptor(medicine)
peripheral cataract(medicine)

Peripheral vision (health)


Also called "side vision". That part of vision that detects objects outside of where we are directly focusing our eyes. When we look directly at something we are using the fovea - that part of our retina where there is a high density of cone photoreceptors and thus allows for detailed vision. The fovea is part of the macula - that part of our retina with mostly cone photoreceptors and used for day time vision. Outside of the macula is what is typically referred to as peripheral vision, and peripheral vision is dominated by the rod photoreceptors. Peripheral vision is used mainly for detecting objects and in directing where we should fixate our fovea or central vision. Peripheral vision is used mostly during the night. Without peripheral vision, we would have "tunnel vision". If a person has a significant loss of peripheral vision the person would be legally blind. See legal blindness.