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Central vs. Peripheral Vision

All the Glory Goes to 20/20 Vision. We all know someone who proudly says, “I have perfect vision — 20/20!”  But here’s a question for you: How much of your entire visual field is actually capable of seeing 20/20?

Let’s try a quick quiz. Pick one:

  • A) 40% 
  • B) 10% 
  • C) 20% 
  • D) 0.004% 

The answer? D — 0.004%.

That’s right. Just a tiny fraction of your visual field is actually capable of 20/20 acuity. The rest? That’s your peripheral vision at work.

Visual-Field-Chadwick_Optical

What Is the Visual Field?

If you have normal eyesight, your horizontal visual field spans about 190 degrees. Imagine a full circle — your field of view is a little more than half that.

  • Each eye sees around 150 degrees.

  • There’s a big overlap in the center where both eyes work together (binocular vision).

You can try a simple test at home:  Close one eye, look straight ahead, and slowly move your hand from the side toward your center of vision. That space where your hand first appears — that’s part of your visual field.

Visual Acuity: Like a Bull’s Eye

Think of your vision like a target:

  • The center (fovea) is crystal clear and high-res. That’s where 20/20 happens.
  • As you move out from the center, the image gets blurrier — that’s your peripheral vision.

Peripheral vision isn’t for reading — it’s for detecting motion, light, and contrast.  It’s the reason you notice a dark shape in the corner of a white room or a flicker of movement as you walk by. Your peripheral vision is your visual radar.  It tells your brain, “Hey, look over there!”

Charting the Drop-Off in Vision

Here’s what happens as you move away from the fovea (that tiny central spot on your retina):

Degrees from Fovea Visual Acuity
0° (Fovea) 20/20
2° 20/32
5–10° 20/100 or worse

 

A chart like this shows how quickly your sharp vision fades.  Most of what you “see” isn’t crisp detail — it’s shape, movement, and general awareness.

Why This Matters: Vision Beyond 20/20

Many conditions can affect your vision without touching your acuity. People with:

  • Concussions
  • Strokes
  • Peripheral vision loss
  • Diabetes
  • Glaucoma

…might still have 20/20 central vision — but serious problems in the rest of the visual field.

Here’s a comparison:

  • Macular degeneration starts in the center and moves out.
  • Retinitis pigmentosa starts in the periphery and moves in — causing “tunnel vision.”

Ironically, patients with advanced macular degeneration are often more mobile than those with late-stage retinitis pigmentosa.

Don’t Take Peripheral Vision for Granted

Peripheral vision does more than fill in the blanks — it helps you move, react, and survive. It's a massively underrated part of your visual system.

So next time you have a patient with 20/20 vision that's still complaining of vision loss, you’ll know that’s just the tip of the iceberg.