Obsessed with my peripheral vision

[twofatslugs]

Hi! Hope you’re all doing well. Just looking for a little bit of advice and reassurance about my peripheral vision.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve become obsessed with it to the point of convincing myself there’s something wrong. Wherever I’m looking, I’m more focussing on the potential limitations in my peripheral vision rather than what’s in front of me.

Really, I’m wondering if the below sounds relatively normal?

Whenever I’m watching TV, and there’s a couple of people sitting side by side (the morning news for example), I can’t really make out the facial features or expression of the person I’m not focusing on. I feel as though this must be normal, and I’m just focussing on it now which is why it seems odd to me?

Thanks for any help in advance!

[serith]

The only part of your vision that actually sees at all is the central point, where all the ocular nerves collect in a bundle. This is why we move our eyes around so much (you don't realize it, but you do). We are trying to aim that central point on what we are actually trying to see. The rest of the field of your vision is not actually true vision, but just filler that you brain assumes is there. You are not supposed to be able to see detail, or really anything at all.

You can test this easily with a friend. Find 4 or 5 objects, each with a different bright color. You should look at all the objects beforehand, but then have your friend pick one of them without letting you know which one it is. Stand and stare straight at the wall in front of you, don't move your eyes. Have you friend slowly move the object they picked into your peripheral vision, so they are approaching you from behind and to the side. Let them know right when you see the object in your peripheral vision so they can stop moving it. You'll find that the object you see with your peripheral vision is not necessarily the same object they are holding. Your brain is just guessing which one to make you see.

It's actually a really neat thing to try.