Sharks are cold-blooded creatures that roam the seas all over the world, from tropical lagoons to freezing polar seas.
Some also live in rivers and freshwater lakes.
While they have been portrayed as monsters who feed on humans, they don’t actually hunt them as prey.
For years, there have been misconceptions about their eyesight, with many believing that these mysterious creatures are blind.
Contrary to popular belief, sharks have very good eyesight.
Are Sharks Blind?
Sharks are far from blind, although they do struggle to distinguish between colors.
Their eye structure is very similar to the human eye structure, as they contain a cornea, lens, retina, deep blue iris, and pupil structures.
They also have two photoreceptors, and these control the bright and low lights.
Sharks do, however, have two blind spots. One is behind their head and the other behind their snout.
What Colors Can Sharks See?
Although sharks cannot see actual color shades, they can distinguish the difference between light and dark shades.
If you are wearing bright colors in the sea, such as bright yellow or bright orange, they are more likely to notice you as opposed to if you were wearing gray or brown.
Do Sharks Have Eyelids?
While it may not seem like they do, sharks do have two eyelids, but they differ from the ones that humans have.
Their regular eyelids aren’t as flexible as the ones humans have, but they have other means of protecting their eyes.
Some of them have a nictitating membrane that acts as a third eyelid.
This is in the form of a transparent membrane that slides over from beneath the eyelid and covers the eyeball.
This serves as good protection while sharks are hunting. Another form of eye protection that sharks use, is a method utilized by the famous Great White Shark.
What they do is, roll their eyes back into their heads when being attacked. This leaves their eyes completely wide, giving off an eerie look.
When they do this, the shark needs to make use of its other senses in order to determine where its target or prey is.
Which Shark Has The Best Vision?
All sharks have the ability to see, but some have a sharper vision while others are relatively poor.
Hammerhead sharks are known for having the best vision.
Their hammer-shaped heads have eyes on either side, and this gives them more range of vision, enabling them to be able to have a 360-degree view of their entire surroundings.
How Do Sharks Detect Motion?
A shark does not solely rely on its eyesight when it comes to detecting motion in order to catch its prey.
They also use their other senses, such as smell, taste, and hearing. They also have a tremendous sense of directional hearing.
Researchers have found that these creatures use their lateral line system, and acoustico- lateralis system, to discover their prey.
The acoustico-lateralis system revolves around the shark’s ear and its ability to sense motions around the water.
Their lateral line system works by sensing low-frequency pressure fluctuations that are created by foreign bodies in the ocean.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, while many have believed for years that sharks can’t see, this is far from the truth.
Some have poor eyesight, while others have exceptional eyesight, such as the hammer-head shark that has a 360-degree field of vision.
They also do have eyelids but have other ways of protecting their eyes from potential threats, such as using their nictitating membrane, or rolling their eyes into their head, like the Great White shark does.
As mentioned, sharks are color-blind, but they are able to distinguish between light and dark colors.
Therefore, if being around sharks makes you uncomfortable, and you know there are some wandering around where you are swimming, you should wear darker colors, such as gray and brown.
If you’ve never dived with sharks before, then we urge you to try it. My name is Mikayla Adams and I have swum with sharks six times so far.
The beauty of sharks up close and personal is too precious to put into words - there’s nothing like it that I’ve ever experienced. Not only that, but to be in close proximity to one of the ocean’s most ferocious predators is such a thrill!
