What is peripheral vision loss?

A loss of peripheral vision is when you can’t see things well on the edges of their vision, but you can see what is right in front of you. It is sometimes referred to as tunnel vision.

This type of loss can be sudden and very scary, or gradual without noticing the onset. There are many symptoms of peripheral vision loss, including:

• Tripping
• Struggling with walking in the dark
• Difficulty driving
• Seeing a curtain or spiderweb off to the side in your line of sight
• Shimmers of light followed by tunnel vision lasting ten to twenty minutes. 

There may also be almost no symptoms at all.

What causes peripheral vision loss?

Causes of peripheral vision loss can be as mild as an ocular migraine or a vitreous floater, to more serious, like a retinal detachment or a pituitary tumour. Other causes include:

• glaucoma, 
• stroke,
• retinitis pigmentosa, and 
• brain aneurysms. 

What to do if you experience peripheral vision loss

Visit you doctors of optometry straight away if you experience peripheral vision loss. They have the training, experience and the specialized equipment necessary to find the cause and work out how to treat your condition.