What is the purpose of peripheral vision?

The purpose of peripheral vision primarily relates to orienting oneself relative to the environment. Peripheral vision allows individuals to detect and respond to movement and objects outside of their direct line of sight, which is crucial in many situations, particularly while flying. This broader field of vision helps pilots monitor the surroundings, giving them situational awareness that is vital for safe navigation and avoiding collisions.

In contrast, focused reading relies on central vision to discern fine details in texts, making it less about environmental awareness. Depth perception, while important in aviation, relies more on binocular vision and depth cues rather than peripheral vision alone. Likewise, color identification is predominately a function of central vision, which is adept at recognizing different hues and shades, but does not play a significant role in the broad awareness that peripheral vision provides.