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Human vision: the science and the numbers

Homo sapiens · order Primates · Mammals: all the numbers

Humans have 3 colour receptor classes (421.5, 532 and 558.4 nm), like most people.[1][2][3][4] Their sharpest vision resolves 63.75 cycles per degree.[5][6] Their eyes cover about 200° with 122.5° seen by both eyes.[9] Humans stop seeing flicker at 60 Hz.[21][22]

See it on your photoBack to How do humans see?
  • 3colour receptor classesMeasured*
  • 63.75cycles per degree (sharpness)Measured
  • 200°field of viewMeasured*
  • 60hertz flicker fusion (motion)Measured

The human (Homo sapiens) is a mammal in the order Primates. Its eyes belong to the vision type Human-like trichromat: three cone types, sharp central vision and a wide zone seen by both eyes. Measured in this species: colour, sharpness, field of view, foveas, night vision and motion (flicker fusion). Measured core: measured values on at least 3 of the 6 dials.

This is a simulation built from published eye measurements, not what the animal experiences.

Method: How we know what animals see (the See Like Animals vision engine) · Sources · Last updated . Every value below carries its evidence level and sources; nothing is typed by hand.

What humans see: colour receptors

Human colour receptor peaks, 300 to 700 nmHuman: 3 receptor peaks at 421.5, 532, 558.4 nm. ultraviolet300400500600700
Human: 421.5, 532, 558.4 nmWavelength in nanometres

What stands out

  • It has three colour receptor classes, like most people.
  • Its sharpest vision resolves 63.75 cycles per degree: the finest stripe pattern it can tell apart from grey.
  • Its eyes cover about 200° around the head, with 122.5° seen by both eyes at once.
  • It stops seeing flicker at 60 Hz, against 60 Hz for people in this dataset, so fast motion looks about the same.[21][22]
  • Activity pattern: diurnal.

The six dials

Evidence levels: how the tiers work. "Measured" means a value measured in this species; "Estimated" values come from a close relative or an eye-size formula.

Vision values for the human (Homo sapiens), catalogue-v1
DialValueEvidenceSources
ColourColour receptors
3 receptor classes: 421.5 nm (VS/SWS (violet)), 532 nm (MWS (green)), 558.4 nm (LWS (long))
measured in this species
Measured (not re-verified)[1][2][3][4]
SharpnessAcuity
63.75 cycles per degree
median of 2 behavioural rows (method priority rule)
Measured[5][6]
Field of viewBinocular overlap
122.5°
median of 2 rows (eyes-at-rest rows preferred)
Measured[7][8]
Total field of view
200°
species-v1.csv
Measured (not re-verified)[9]
Blind area behind the head
160°
blind area = 360 - total field
Derived[9]
Eye placement
frontal
frontal if binocular overlap >= 60 deg, else lateral
Derived[7][8]
Sharp zones (foveas)Number of foveas
1
fovea_present / area_centralis_type (retinal topography; count 1 = fovea present, 0 = none)
Measured[10]
Fovea type
fovea		Measured[10]
Night visionActivity pattern
diurnal
mode of 8 rows (of 8 rows): cathemeral; diurnal; photopic
Measured (not re-verified)[11][12][13][1][14][15][16][17]
Pupil shape
vertical		Group default[18][19]
Reflective layer (tapetum)
no		Measured[20]
Rods vs cones
cone-dominated
nocturnal -> rod-dominated; crepuscular / cathemeral / mixed -> mixed; diurnal -> cone-dominated
Derived[11][12][13][1][14][15][16][17]
Motion (flicker fusion)Flicker fusion frequency
60 Hz
median of 4 bright-light rows (behavioural/whole-eye ERG rows; all rows: [55.0, 60.0, 65.0])
Measured[21][22]

All mammals side by side: Mammals: every measurement. Method: how we know what animals see.

Sources

  1. Longcore 2023
  2. Kirwan
  3. Müller et al. 2009
  4. Thermal Activation and Photoactivation of Visual… 2004
  5. Kirk et al. 2004
  6. Veilleux et al. 2014
  7. Heesy 2004
  8. Heffner et al. 1992
  9. Campbell & Green 1965
  10. Kopania et al. 2025
  11. Anderson et al. 2017
  12. Borges et al. 2018
  13. Wilman et al. 2014
  14. Maor et al. 2017
  15. Jones et al. 2009
  16. Schmitz et al. 2011
  17. Moura et al. 2024
  18. Banks et al. 2015
  19. Cervino et al. 2021
  20. Guareschi et al. 2025
  21. Healy et al. 2013
  22. Inger et al. 2014

Every value cites its sources (all sources). Values were extracted from these works and converted (units, medians, derived values); changes are ours, and the listed sources do not endorse this site. Data: catalogue-v1, built 2026-09-29. Accuracy notes: how accurate is this? Method: how we know.