What Causes Loss of Peripheral Vision? Understanding Tunnel Vision
Peripheral vision comes from the side areas of our visual field, outside the central focus of our eyes. The optic nerve plays a crucial role in transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain. It is enabled by specialized cells called rods and cones in the outer regions of the retina. While cones are responsible for central and color vision, rods are more sensitive to light and help us see in low-light conditions. The distribution and arrangement of these cells in the retina allow us to detect and perceive objects in our periphery, providing us with a wider field of vision.
- What Causes Peripheral Vision Loss?
- What Does Tunnel Vision Look Like?
- How to Test Peripheral Vision
- Confrontation Visual Field Test
- Automated Static Perimetry Test
- Kinetic Visual Field Test
- How Is Tunnel Vision Treated?
What Causes Peripheral Vision Loss?
Peripheral vision is important for seeing the outside world and carrying out daily tasks, which is why your eye doctor tests it. Unfortunately, tunnel vision, or loss of peripheral vision, can result from several eye diseases and conditions.
Different factors may lead to peripheral vision loss, including:
- Migraine
- Retinitis pigmentosa.).) Retinitis pigmentosa can result in lost peripheral vision in one or both eyes.
- Stroke. Lost vision from a stroke can be irreversible, making early treatment crucial.
- Diabetic retinopathy. High blood sugar can damage blood vessels in the eye, leading to vision issues and even blindness.
- Glaucoma. Optic nerve atrophy from glaucoma can severely impact peripheral vision.
It’s important to get in touch with your eye doctor right away if you experience an abrupt loss of peripheral vision to determine the underlying cause and start the proper treatment as soon as possible. Early treatment is essential to prevent further vision loss. If you notice peripheral vision loss, seek immediate medical attention as it could indicate underlying conditions that may lead to significant vision loss.
Regular comprehensive eye exams can assist in identifying eye conditions before symptoms appear.
What Does Tunnel Vision Look Like?
Anything that reduces your field of vision by obstructing your peripheral vision is called tunnel vision. Your field of vision may decrease if there is an issue with your eyes or other parts of your body that assist with vision. One eye may experience tunnel vision at a time, or both eyes may be affected at the same time. Vertigo or unsteadiness is also possible when walking or standing.
You may not experience any changes to your central vision, but you will not be able to see objects that are not directly in front of your eyes which leads you to bump into objects. Imagine peering through the cardboard tube in the middle of a paper towel roll. Though everything to the sides will be hidden, you can still see what’s on the other side of the tube. If you experience this, it means you have tunnel vision.
How to Test Peripheral Vision
Noticing peripheral vision loss early is crucial as it can be an early symptom of potential eye conditions, and seeking early testing can prevent significant vision loss.
Your eye doctor will conduct tests to measure the size of your visual field and/or visual clarity within your field of view if you notice peripheral vision loss. Among these tests are:
Confrontation Visual Field Test
You cover one eye and look at your eye doctor or eye care technician during this easy test. They will hold up fingers to test the loss of side vision, and you will be asked to count how many fingers you can see. After that, they’ll ask you to do this with your other eye.
They gain a fundamental understanding of what is visible on the side when facing a stationary object directly ahead of them from the exam. The examination is simple to perform and requires no special tools, but its diagnostic accuracy for small visual field defects may be limited.
Automated Static Perimetry Test
To pass this test, you must cover one eye while gazing into a perimeter (a device used to measure visual field) and press a button whenever you see lights appear. There will be different locations for the lights in both your peripheral and central vision.
Your eye doctor will suspect that you may have a peripheral vision problem if you fail to report any instances in which light appears to the side of your field of vision. Static perimetry tests are frequently employed to track macula diseases and glaucoma.
Kinetic Visual Field Test
The kinetic test maps the boundary of your visual field by moving light in and out of your peripheral vision using the same methodology as the perimetry test. Peripheral retinal diseases and neuro-ophthalmological conditions are better suited for kinetic visual field testing.
How Is Tunnel Vision Treated?
A medical professional or specialist in eye care will address the cause of tunnel vision, called peripheral vision loss (PVL), for treatment options. The type of treatment you require will depend on the extent of your sudden peripheral vision loss and its cause.
You may require medication based on your medical conditions. Some require surgery to fix internal injuries that result in loss of peripheral vision. If you require eye surgery, your ophthalmologist will discuss your expectations with you.
