Silmäliikkeille

Silmäliikkeille, or eye movements, are the motions the eyes make to gather visual information. These movements are crucial for vision, allowing us to scan our environment, track moving objects, and focus on specific details. There are several types of eye movements, each serving a distinct purpose. Saccades are rapid, ballistic movements that shift the fovea, the area of the retina with the highest visual acuity, from one point of interest to another. These movements are involuntary and allow us to quickly scan a scene.

Smooth pursuit eye movements enable us to track a moving object smoothly, keeping its image stabilized on the fovea. Without smooth pursuit, a moving object would appear blurred. Vergence movements are used to align both eyes on a target, especially when the target is at a different depth. Convergent vergence occurs when eyes turn inward to focus on a near object, while divergent vergence happens when eyes turn outward for a distant object.

Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) stabilizes vision during head movements by moving the eyes in the opposite direction of the head. This reflex helps maintain a clear and stable image on the retina even when we are moving. Reflexive eye movements are involuntary responses to stimuli, such as blinking to protect the eye from foreign objects or drying out. Voluntary eye movements, on the other hand, are consciously controlled, such as deliberately looking at a specific object. The coordinated action of various eye muscles, controlled by intricate neural pathways, orchestrates these complex movements, forming the foundation of our visual perception.