silmänliikkeen

Silmänliikkeen refers to the movement of the eye. These movements are crucial for vision, allowing us to explore our environment, track objects, and focus our gaze. There are several types of eye movements, each serving a distinct purpose. Saccades are rapid, ballistic movements that quickly shift the fovea, the part of the retina with the highest visual acuity, from one point of interest to another. They are involuntary and occur roughly three times per second, even when we are trying to stare at a fixed point.

Smooth pursuit movements allow us to track moving objects. These are slower and more controlled than saccades, enabling the eyes to maintain a stable image of the target on the fovea. Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is another important type of eye movement that stabilizes gaze during head movements. It works by generating eye movements in the opposite direction of head rotation, thus keeping the visual world from appearing to spin.

Fixation is the term used for the apparent stillness of the eye during visual tasks. However, even during fixation, there are small, involuntary movements called microsaccades and tremors that help to prevent sensory adaptation and maintain image clarity. Finally, vergence movements are used to adjust the alignment of the eyes for binocular vision, allowing us to focus on objects at different distances. When looking at a distant object, the eyes are relatively parallel, while for close objects, they converge inward. These coordinated movements, both voluntary and involuntary, are essential for our ability to see and interact with the world.