Earlier this month in Southern Alberta we were treated to clear skies and an impressive astronomical display known as the Perseid meteor shower. If you stayed up late to try and catch a few shooting stars, you may have noticed that very faint points of light coming from some stars seem to disappear when you look right at them, then reappear when you look just off to the side. No, there’s nothing wrong with your eyes. It has to do with the way our eyes are set up to see at night.
You’ve probably heard of “rods” and “cones” . These are the specialized cells inside the eye that are designed to receive light and convert it to an electrical signal. This signal is then relayed to the brain where it is interpreted as an image. The cones are used mainly for sharp detailed vision and for colour vision. They are activated in well-lit conditions and therefore are mostly used during the daytime. The rods are used mainly for peripheral vision and dimly-lit environments - they are the most light sensitive. It’s the location of the rods and cones in our eyes that’s the key factor here: our sharp, central vision is full of cones with almost no rods. That’s why we need to look slightly to the side in order to see very faint or dimly lit objects.
Try this the next time you are gazing up at the night sky!
“Your business is run in a very pleasant and professional manner and I intend to continue using your services. I will certainly recommend you to others.” - Janice Church, Calgary Read More...
Connect on Facebook 
Read our reviews on Yelp.ca or write one!
Specialization – Our Eyes Do It Too
Earlier this month in Southern Alberta we were treated to clear skies and an impressive astronomical display known as the Perseid meteor shower. If you stayed up late to try and catch a few shooting stars, you may have noticed that very faint points of light coming from some stars seem to disappear when you look right at them, then reappear when you look just off to the side. No, there’s nothing wrong with your eyes. It has to do with the way our eyes are set up to see at night.
You’ve probably heard of “rods” and “cones” . These are the specialized cells inside the eye that are designed to receive light and convert it to an electrical signal. This signal is then relayed to the brain where it is interpreted as an image. The cones are used mainly for sharp detailed vision and for colour vision. They are activated in well-lit conditions and therefore are mostly used during the daytime. The rods are used mainly for peripheral vision and dimly-lit environments - they are the most light sensitive. It’s the location of the rods and cones in our eyes that’s the key factor here: our sharp, central vision is full of cones with almost no rods. That’s why we need to look slightly to the side in order to see very faint or dimly lit objects.
Try this the next time you are gazing up at the night sky!