Scotomas, or blind spots, can impact your daily life by affecting how clearly you see. Our expert eye doctors provide the care you need to understand and manage these visual field defects.
Blind spots, also known as scotomas or visual field defects, are areas in your vision where you may not see things clearly or at all. These irregularities can affect one or both eyes and may be temporary or permanent, depending on the underlying cause. Our eye doctors understand that even small visual imperfections can be worrisome, which is why we’re here to explain what scotomas are and how they affect your everyday life.
Simply put, a scotoma is a blind spot in your field of vision where you cannot see clearly. While it’s normal for each eye to have a tiny blind spot at the location of the optic disk – where the optic nerve exits the retina – abnormal scotomas can appear elsewhere, interfering with clear vision. When certain parts of the image received by the retina go unprocessed because of damage or disruption, you experience a visual field defect.
Visual field defects refer to missing areas in your overall field of view; these may be noted when you are testing your peripheral or central vision. The cause of these blind spots can lie in several areas – the retina itself, the optic nerve that transmits signals, or even in the parts of your brain that process these signals. Here’s the thing: the health of your vision is intricately tied to the integrity of every component that contributes to sight, including the cornea, lens, retina, and optic nerve.
Your retina is a delicate, light-sensitive layer at the back of your eye that converts light into signals which are then sent to the brain via the optic nerve. If any part of this chain, such as the retina or the optic nerve, has a defect or damage, it can result in a portion of your visual field becoming obscured. This disruption might be small and localized, or it could be more extensive, significantly impairing how you view your surroundings.
Our eye doctors emphasize that vision is not solely determined by one element; rather, it’s the result of perfect teamwork between all parts of the eye. When one component falters, the outcome is a blind spot—a scotoma—that creates an area where vision is either diminished or completely absent.
Contact our office to schedule an appointment with a top optometrist near you and address any concerns about your vision.
There isn’t just one type of scotoma that causes concern. Instead, scotomas are categorized based on their location, appearance, and severity.
Central scotomas affect the middle of your vision, the same area that lets you read text, recognize faces, and perform detailed tasks. Because our central vision is the most precise part of our sight, a central scotoma can greatly disrupt day-to-day activities. People experiencing a central scotoma often report difficulty with tasks like reading, driving, or using digital devices since the clarity in the middle of their vision is compromised.
While peripheral scotomas may seem less troublesome because they affect the outer edges of your vision, they can still make everyday tasks challenging. For example, you might bump into objects or have trouble navigating your environment if there are gaps in your peripheral vision. In many cases, bright light can improve vision in these areas, but large or multiple blind spots may still pose safety risks, especially when walking or driving.
There are two classifications based on how much vision is lost within the blind spot. In a relative scotoma, your vision is not completely lost but reduced so that you can only detect brighter or larger objects in that area. An absolute scotoma, on the other hand, is a complete loss of vision in a specific area regardless of the surrounding light conditions.
These types of scotomas are characterized by a shimmering or flickering effect. Often associated with migraines, scintillating scotomas might appear as jagged, wavy patterns that gradually build and then fade away, sometimes preceding the onset of a migraine headache. Although typically temporary, these visual distortions can be both disorienting and alarming if you experience them.
Junctional scotomas occur where the optic nerve meets the optic chiasm—a region near the base of the brain where visual signals cross. They are less common but require careful evaluation by our eye doctors. Paracentral scotomas, on the other hand, occur within 10 degrees of your point of fixation and may be noted as small patches of vision loss often occurring near the center of your sight.
Understanding the causes behind scotomas is key to managing them effectively. A variety of disorders can disrupt the normal functioning of the retina, optic nerve, or processing centers in the brain, leading to blind spots in your field of vision. Here’s a closer look at the factors that can lead to these conditions:
It is important to recognize the specific cause behind a scotoma because it directly influences both the management and the outlook of the condition. Our eye doctors are here to assess these factors thoroughly and help determine the underlying reason for any visual field defect.
Contact our office to schedule an appointment with a top optometrist near you and address any concerns about your vision.
Discover how scotomas and visual field defects affect your vision and learn about the diagnostic approaches from top eye doctors.
