Two quick ways to check your peripheral vision at home
by Irena Castle
Peripheral vision is often thought of as the less important part of the vision. It is somewhat disregarded during eye examinations or even during vision therapy. Why? Well, it is on a side and does not provide visual clarity.
However, periphery represents the majority of the visual field in humans, and it is therefore an indispensable part of the way we see the world.
Concentrated in the peripheral part of the eye (closer to the edges) are visual receptors called the rods. The rods, and therefore the periphery, have 3 important functions:
Spatial Orientation
Having a good sense of one’s location relative to other objects provides stability, grounding, and helps with balance.
Seeing Movement
While unable to provide clarity, the peripheral part of the eye has the ability to detect movement, which is important for our daily safety, for activities like driving, and walking. You can imagine how hard it would be to change lanes on a highway if we had to rely on forward focus only. When movement is detected, the information is shared with the rest of the visual system, which ignites a shift of focus to what it is that was detected (i.e. an unexpected vehicle to your side).
Seeing in the Dark
Finally, thanks to the visual rods (and therefore peripheral vision), we are able to see in the dark. The rods require only very little light to give us a good sense of objects around us and help us navigate through darkness.
So, is your peripheral vision turned on a high gear?
Below are 2 easy ways to test it for yourself.
#1: Method of Room Observation
While the less precise of the two, this method will give you a general idea about how good your periphery is. It takes less than 30 seconds to find out.
Sit or stand facing a wall, find a spot or an object on the wall at your eye level. Look at it. Draw an imaginary line between your nose and the object.
Focusing on the chosen object, notice how much of the room to your left you can see. You must not turn your head or your eyes while paying attention to your left side. Take a note of the furthest point you can register (a door frame, a door handle, a corner of a picture frame, etc.). Then turn your head, look at that point and note the angle at which it is located relative to the imaginary line you had drawn earlier.
Repeat the same steps on the right side.
#2 Hand waving
Stand or sit straight and look straight forward at an object. Draw an imaginary line between your nose and the object.
Place your right hand at your face level, slightly behind your ear, and about 10 inches away from your head. Make movement with your hand by lightly waving or shaking it. Slowly move your hand forward while looking in front of you (do not turn your head or your eyes). As soon as you notice your hand’s movement, stop and identify the angle at which your hand is located relative to the imaginary line you had drawn earlier. Take a note of that angle. Repeat this process on the left side.
How did you do?
A person with a good peripheral vision has a field of view of about 100° on each side, for a total of 200°.
Thumbs up? If your peripheral vision serves you well, then congratulations! Keep up the good work!
Thumbs down? If your peripheral vision needs some help, Overbound Clarity Eyesight Trainer will get you there. Accompanied by a free practice program, this simple combo will get you on your way to a broader vision field quickly. Check it out here. You can expect improvement from the very moment you get started.
