You rely on your central vision to complete everyday tasks, watch a movie, or scan your smartphone.
When people say they have “good vision,” this is the vision they mean.
It is quantified with numbers likenormal 20/20 acuity, the clarity of objects at 20 feet away.
Verywell / Jiaqi Zhou
Themaculais the central part of theretina, and the fovea is the center of the macula.
Central vision relies on these two areas.
Themaculais only about 5 millimeters across.
It delivers much of your color vision and the fine detail that you see.
It has the highest concentration of light-detecting cells known as photoreceptors.
Thefoveais a tiny divot inside the macula.
It gets its name from the Greek term for small pit.
Think of a straight line from the object, through the middle of the lens, to the fovea.
Cones are the only vision cells in the area.
Keep in mind that this can happen pretty quickly.
So, if you notice any changes to this vision, you should immediately consult with your eye practitioner.
A basicAmsler gridtest is often used.
This test is typically used to monitor possible disease progression in cases of age-related macular degeneration.
The Amsler grid is simple enough to be used at home.
This way, you might alert your practitioner if you notice any changes.
You should use your near correction or near vision glasses for this test.
Also,fundus photographycan be done.
Some at-home prescription-only monitoring options, such as the ForeseeHome AMD Monitoring System and myVisionTrack may be available.
Discuss these with your doctor to see if they are appropriate for your care.
Summary
Central vision is what you see in the center of your visual field.
It provides the sharpest details and is used for many tasks.
Many conditions can lead to a loss of central vision, including diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
Even just a small blank spot can be important, since this can grow with time.
Macular Society.What is the macula?
All About Vision.Fovea centralis.
Singapore National Eye Centre.Central vision loss.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Vision loss, central.
BrightFocus Foundation.Macular degeneration research.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Catching CNV early with at-home monitoring.
