Monday, November 11, 2013

eyes

Phosphenes and Hypnagogic Imagery

I found this article really interesting since I always wondered what the heck to call this stuff.  Most of the time when I close my eyes, I just get a pretty basic dark swirl with speckles of light (depending on the actual light sources in the room)... but sometimes I actually get some pretty intricate patterns.  It's fascinating what your brain does.

Reading about this made me wondering if there's a name for another eye phenomenon I experience.  Sometimes when I'm sitting down and staring at, for example, a blemish on my leg or something else tiny, I'll be so focused on it that I won't even notice how clear and large it is.  My vision is completely filled up by this formerly small expanse, as if my nose is almost touching it.  Then I'll look away for some reason and when I look back at the spot, it's back to being tiny and far away, with a much broader area in my peripheral.  So what's it called when your eyes perform this telescopic feat?  I've always been curious (and would certainly like to know if there's a way to control it).

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