What eye can do for you
Ed Byrne

We sometimes take for granted our mark I eyeball and the important part it plays in improving our chances of coming out on top of a critical situation.

Law enforcement officers, military and other security operators are required to make rapid judgement calls, act on their decisions and stand over them.

Vision is usually the first sense employed and is the most effective means of receiving and processing intelligent information relating to location, speed and movement of a threat. Vision also plays a dominant role in directing and controlling the response skills associated with law enforcement and military. It influences the whole system including the motor system, peripheral awareness, autonomic nervous system that in turn influences posture, pituitary function, hand eye coordination and behavioural responses to external behaviour.

In the retina of the eye there are two types of light receptors rods and cones each with their own functions and roles.
Cone cells are located in the centre of the retina their function is to detect colour and control the response of the eye to bright light (daylight vision) mostly dealing with frontal vision. This allows the observation of a subject and pursuit eye movement (ability to follow a moving object).

Cones convert light energy to neural energy and send information to the brain via the optic nerve information received is then collated and analysed by the brain to present a picture of a situation. They are also valuable for paying attention to minute detail

Foveal vision uses a small 2.5mm area called the fovea centralis located on the retina or back of the eyeball, it is valuable for focusing on minute detail tasks think of threading a needle.

It can also contribute to eyestrain, muscle tension in jaw shoulders and breath holding, many people spend a lot of their time in mild foveal or tunnel vision

Foveal vision cones are sensitive to bright light, colour and useful for focussed narrow attention engaging the conscious mind It sends a signal to the brain that you want you to look at something in detail

. Dr. Artwohl’s study on funnelled concentration demonstrated that officers focused on what appeared to be the primary threat during an incident often neglecting possible emerging threats around them. The sensory systems and the brain suppress what the officer is not focussed on and can disappear from his or her awareness, which can prove dangerous. Bruce Siddle in his research believed that under stress visual tracking becomes difficult increasing the risk from multiple threats. Once a threat is neutralised the brain and vision move to the next threat this is known as the ‘lighthouse effect’.
Rod cells are located predominately at the edges of the retina where they are sensitive to light, darkness and movement. Their function is to provide the brain with visual information when it detects movement to organise orientation and location of a threat or target. As light begins to fade there is a transition from cone domination to rod domination. A process called mesopia occurs where the ability of the eye to focus declines. Both remain partially active during mesopia.where there is a loss of colour perception, detail and depth as. rod cells do not allow for colour vision or detail.

This is why we notice movement rather than colour at the edge of vision.

In his article on shooting & vision Edward C. Goodnig states ‘’The theory of perceptual narrowing suggests that as the level of demand increases on a central straight ahead target there will be a corresponding decrease in the visual area surrounding the central area from which peripheral information can be extracted’’

Research has shown that peripheral vision will shut down faster if there has not been adequate realistic training. When dealing with critical stress situations some closing will occur no matter what but this can be checked and enhanced by habitually checking vision, scanning the environment and movement after you access fight/confrontation state. At the boundary of peripheral vision we can detect movement especially small movement but not static objects. It is a perishable skill and should be practiced in a relaxed environment until it can be performed without thinking as an unconscious process
As peripheral vision seems to activate the parasympathetic nervous system that calms and slows breathing it can also stop or slowdown negative internal dialogue.

Although in low light conditions it cannot determine colour or fine discrimination for example distinguishing between a pistol & a revolver it also is better than foveal vision for tracking movement.

The ideal would be to look at something without staring while paying attention to a wider field of vision, a blend of detailed vision and peripheral vision. A technique known as ‘soft eyes’ has many followers in the NLP community and combatives trainers such as Marcus Wynne in the US and Dennis Martin in the UK have developed programmes to objectively enhance visual perception under stress.

It has many advantages and benefits such as increased recognition of the body language of individuals and groups, enhanced situational awareness, improved performance, reduction of negative self talk, relaxed state and better breathing.
When in darkness the eye functions in a state of scoptopia. When it is necessary to move from bright to dark as in moving into a dark room the cones can adapt in five minutes while rod adaptation takes thirty minutes. Target and threat focus is reduced during scotopic vision. An additional light source directed at the target is required to accurately identify characteristics of threat or subject with full dark adaptation taking 30 minutes to reach optimal levels.

When the body is subjected to an ambush or surprise attack changes occur in the visual system. During this ‘oh s**t!’ moment the immediate change is a loss of clear focus at close quarters and loss of peripheral vision
Edward Goodnig also states that ‘’Increased arousal causes increased narrowing of the attentional focus with a progressive elimination of input from the more peripheral aspects of the visual field’’

When exposed to high stress the eyes undergo changes the pupils dilate, the lens flatten the eyes begin to move in a ‘saccadic ‘ fashion that is a rapid jerking irregular scanning motion. This allows under stress the reception of more visual clues when the eye- brain relationship can be slowed down. Saccadic movement is also utilised when observing multiple targets.

Because saccadic movement is so rapid and sporadic the brain only processes what the eye stops on and not everything the eye reports

Those involved in a situation will see freeze frames images not continuous rolling like a movie.
Vision enhancement training should be integrated into all aspects of tactical and combatives training it should become second nature and compliment other skill sets.

It can be practiced easily at other times while sitting in your vehicle on or off duty or sitting in the mall waiting for you good lady!

Edward C. Goodnig Article ‘’Shooting & Vision’’
Bill Lewinski Article ‘’Stress reactions related to lethal force encounters’’
Bruce Siddle Book Sharpening the Warrior’s edge