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You may think that just because most animals have two eyes like you that all eyes operate identically. As it turns out, there are some pretty big differences between human eyes and those of other animals, and we’re going to talk about some of them today.
Human eyes have 100 million rods, which help you see in the dark, and 7 million cones, which help you see color. Perfect vision for a human is 20/20, meaning you can clearly see at 20 feet what normally can be seen at that distance.
Man’s best friend has eyes similar to man’s. They have the same basic structure and are positioned in roughly the same position. The biggest difference is dogs’ eyes have a high number of rods and a low number of cones, which means they see better at night but are red-green colorblind. Dogs don’t see distance as well as we do, either. Their vision is about 20/75.
Like our friend the dog, cats can see very well at night but have some colorblindness because they have high concentrations of rods and low cones. Cats, therefore, only need about 1/6 the amount of light that humans need. And contrary to popular belief, cats can see some colors. They don’t just see gray.
There’s a reason people who can see well are called eagle-eyed. First, even though eagles are much smaller than us, their eyes are the same size as ours. While human lenses change shape to help humans and eagles focus, an eagle’s cornea changes shape, too. This gives eagles vision of 20/5 or even 20/4. And not only can eagles see colors better than us, they can see ultraviolet light, which is invisible to humans.
The eye doctors at CEENTA are experts in treating human eyes. Whether you need a routine eye exam or have a more serious condition like cataracts or glaucoma, our doctors are available in 12 locations across North Carolina to care for you. While they can’t get you seeing as good as an eagle, they will help make your eyes function as good as a human’s can.
To make an appointment with a CEENTA ophthalmologist or optometrist, call 704-295-3000. You can also schedule an appointment online or through myCEENTAchart.
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