If you’ve ever looked at an optical illusion, you may have wondered what you were seeing and if your eyes were playing a trick on you. Usually, if you see something in an optical illusion, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong with your vision. Here, the eye doctors at Bridgeport, CT’s Family Vision Center explain what’s going on.

Surprisingly enough, what you see when you look at an optical illusion has less to do with your eyes and more to do with your brain. Actually, your eyes are only one element of your vision as a whole. According to eye doctors, when light enters your retina, electrical signals are sent via the optic nerve up to your brain, which then forms an image.

While this whole process takes less than a second, it’s often cut short to keep your brain from being overwhelmed by all the information you see throughout the day. Eye care professionals say this shortcut is almost never noticed. One exception, however, is when you look at optical illusions. You notice these shortcuts because your brain is trying to fill in the gaps and is fooling you into thinking you’re looking at something that’s not really there.

Optical illusions can be fun, but if you start to think your eyes are playing tricks on you, visit your eye doctor. The best way to be sure your eyes stay healthy and keep you seeing clearly is to visit an optometrist regularly for routine exams. Call the professionals at Family Vision Center today at (203) 333-2020 if you need to book an appointment, or visit them online for more information regarding eye care.