Visual field: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:42, 18 February 2025

An overview of the visual field in human vision

Visual Field[edit]

The visual field is the entire area that can be seen when the eyes are fixed in one position. It encompasses everything that can be seen without moving the eyes, including peripheral vision. The visual field is an important aspect of vision and is crucial for activities such as driving, reading, and navigating the environment.

Anatomy of the Visual Field[edit]

The visual field is divided into several regions:

Central Vision: This is the area of the visual field that is directly in front of the eyes and is responsible for detailed vision. It is primarily processed by the fovea in the retina.
Peripheral Vision: This encompasses the areas outside the central vision and is responsible for detecting motion and providing spatial awareness.

The visual field is typically measured in degrees from the point of fixation. The normal human visual field extends approximately 60 degrees nasally, 100 degrees temporally, 60 degrees superiorly, and 75 degrees inferiorly.

Visual Field Testing[edit]

Visual field testing is a crucial part of ophthalmology and neurology. It helps in diagnosing and monitoring various eye and brain conditions. Common methods of visual field testing include:

Confrontation Visual Field Test: A basic test where the examiner compares the patient's visual field with their own.
Automated Perimetry: A more advanced test using a machine to map the visual field. The patient looks into a dome and responds to lights appearing in different areas.
Goldmann Perimetry: A manual test that uses a moving light target to map the visual field.

Conditions Affecting the Visual Field[edit]

Several conditions can affect the visual field, leading to partial or complete loss of vision in certain areas:

Glaucoma: A group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, often leading to peripheral vision loss.
Retinal Detachment: A serious condition where the retina peels away from its underlying layer, causing visual field defects.
Stroke: Can lead to visual field loss depending on the area of the brain affected.
Macular Degeneration: Affects central vision, leading to a loss of detail in the visual field.

Importance of the Visual Field[edit]

The visual field is essential for:

Navigation: Peripheral vision helps in detecting obstacles and movement, aiding in safe navigation.
Reading and Writing: Central vision is crucial for focusing on text and details.
Driving: A wide visual field is necessary for detecting hazards and maintaining awareness of the surroundings.

Related Pages[edit]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-'''Visual field''' is the full area that can be seen when the eye is focused on a central point. This includes everything that can be seen to the side (peripheral vision) while looking straight ahead. The visual field of a healthy individual includes both central and peripheral vision and extends approximately 60 degrees upwards, 75 degrees downwards, 60 degrees towards the nose, and 100 degrees towards the temple.
+{{Short description|An overview of the visual field in human vision}}
-The visual field is mapped during a [[Visual field test]], which measures the entire scope of vision, both central and peripheral. This test can help detect blind spots (scotomas), [[Visual field defect|visual field defects]], and other vision problems that could be symptoms of eye diseases or neurological disorders.
+==Visual Field==
+The '''visual field''' is the entire area that can be seen when the eyes are fixed in one position. It encompasses everything that can be seen without moving the eyes, including peripheral vision. The visual field is an important aspect of [[vision]] and is crucial for activities such as driving, reading, and navigating the environment.
-== Anatomy of the Visual Field ==
+==Anatomy of the Visual Field==
+The visual field is divided into several regions:
-The visual field is divided into two main sections: the central field and the peripheral field. The central field is the area directly in front of the viewer, and it is where the eye focuses when looking straight ahead. The peripheral field is the area surrounding the central field, and it is responsible for detecting motion and providing spatial awareness.
+* '''Central Vision''': This is the area of the visual field that is directly in front of the eyes and is responsible for detailed vision. It is primarily processed by the [[fovea]] in the [[retina]].
+* '''Peripheral Vision''': This encompasses the areas outside the central vision and is responsible for detecting motion and providing spatial awareness.
-The visual field is also divided into four quadrants: upper left, upper right, lower left, and lower right. Each quadrant is processed by a different part of the [[Visual cortex|visual cortex]] in the brain.
+The visual field is typically measured in degrees from the point of fixation. The normal human visual field extends approximately 60 degrees nasally, 100 degrees temporally, 60 degrees superiorly, and 75 degrees inferiorly.
-== Disorders Affecting the Visual Field ==
+==Visual Field Testing==
+[[File:Visual field test.jpg|thumb|right|A visual field test being conducted.]]
+Visual field testing is a crucial part of [[ophthalmology]] and [[neurology]]. It helps in diagnosing and monitoring various eye and brain conditions. Common methods of visual field testing include:
-Various disorders can affect the visual field, causing blind spots, blurred vision, or other vision problems. These disorders include:
+* '''Confrontation Visual Field Test''': A basic test where the examiner compares the patient's visual field with their own.
+* '''Automated Perimetry''': A more advanced test using a machine to map the visual field. The patient looks into a dome and responds to lights appearing in different areas.
+* '''Goldmann Perimetry''': A manual test that uses a moving light target to map the visual field.
-* [[Glaucoma]]: This eye disease damages the optic nerve, which can lead to blind spots in the peripheral vision.
+==Conditions Affecting the Visual Field==
-* [[Stroke]]: A stroke can cause a loss of vision in one half of the visual field, a condition known as hemianopia.
+Several conditions can affect the visual field, leading to partial or complete loss of vision in certain areas:
-* [[Brain tumor]]: A tumor in the brain can press on the optic nerve or visual cortex, causing visual field defects.
-* [[Retinal detachment]]: This condition can cause a shadowy curtain over part of the visual field.
-== See Also ==
+* '''[[Glaucoma]]''': A group of eye conditions that damage the [[optic nerve]], often leading to peripheral vision loss.
+* '''[[Retinal Detachment]]''': A serious condition where the retina peels away from its underlying layer, causing visual field defects.
+* '''[[Stroke]]''': Can lead to visual field loss depending on the area of the brain affected.
+* '''[[Macular Degeneration]]''': Affects central vision, leading to a loss of detail in the visual field.
-* [[Visual acuity]]
+==Importance of the Visual Field==
-* [[Visual perception]]
+The visual field is essential for:
-* [[Visual system]]
-== References ==
+* '''Navigation''': Peripheral vision helps in detecting obstacles and movement, aiding in safe navigation.
+* '''Reading and Writing''': Central vision is crucial for focusing on text and details.
+* '''Driving''': A wide visual field is necessary for detecting hazards and maintaining awareness of the surroundings.
-<references />
+==Related Pages==
+* [[Vision]]
+* [[Ophthalmology]]
+* [[Retina]]
+* [[Optic Nerve]]
 [[Category:Vision]]
 [[Category:Ophthalmology]]
-[[Category:Neurology]]
-{{stub}}
-<gallery>
-File:Traquair_1938_Fig_1_modified.png|Visual field
-File:Bjerrums_area_and_types_of_scotomas_on_the_visual_field.png|Visual field
-File:Hemianopsia_en.jpg|Visual field
-File:fullvf.png|Visual field
-File:bitempvf.png|Visual field
-File:binasalvf.png|Visual field
-File:Paris_as_seen_with_left_homonymous_hemianopsia.png|Visual field
-File:rhvf.png|Visual field
-File:Eye_disease_simulation,_retinitis_pigmentosa.jpg|Visual field
-File:Eye_disease_simulation,_age-related_macular_degeneration.jpg|Visual field
-</gallery>