Silmaliigutused

Silmaliigutused, also known as eye movements, are the movements the eyes make to shift their point of fixation from one point to another. These movements are essential for visual perception, allowing us to scan our environment and gather information. There are several types of eye movements. Saccades are rapid, ballistic movements that quickly shift the gaze between points of interest. They are ballistic in the sense that once initiated, they cannot be altered in their trajectory or speed. Fixations are brief periods during which the eyes remain relatively still, allowing the brain to process visual information from a specific area. Smooth pursuit eye movements enable the eyes to track a moving object, maintaining a stable image on the retina. Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is a reflex that stabilizes gaze during head movements. It works by automatically adjusting eye position to compensate for movements of the head, ensuring that vision remains clear. Other less common eye movements include vergence movements, which allow both eyes to converge or diverge to focus on objects at different distances, and optokinetic nystagmus, a combination of smooth pursuit and saccadic movements used to track large visual scenes. The coordinated action of various eye muscles, controlled by complex neural pathways in the brainstem and cerebral cortex, governs these diverse movements. Disruptions in silmaliigutused can lead to visual disorders and affect reading, object recognition, and spatial awareness.