Inverse Image Optical Illusion
Inverse Image Optical Illusion: Instructions
- Make sure that you can see the whole image above. If the image is too small, click it and it will enlarge.
- Go as close to the screen as possible, don’t worry nothing scary will jump out at you.
- Stare at the red dot for around 30 seconds.
- After you have stared at the red dot for 30 seconds look away from the screen immediately and on to a blank surface. If you don’t have a blank surface, simply close your eyes gently, and blink repeatedly with your eyes closed.
- As you do this an image will start to emerge. Do you recognise him?
- If it didn’t work, then try staring at the image (step 3) for longer than 30 seconds. The longer you stare at the red dot, and the close the screen is to you, the stronger the image will be.
This is an example of an inverse image optical illusion also known as ‘Afterimage‘ or a ‘Ghost Image’. This is where an image remains in your vision even after the original source of that image has been removed. You may have noticed a similar effect after looking at a window on a bright day, only to have the ghosting of the window in your field of vision for some time.
For some people, this cool inverse image optical illusion is a daily pest. Those suffering from a condition known as ‘palinopsia’ have to deal with afterimage and ghosting in nearly every moment of their waking day. For palinopsia sufferers the time taken to form the initial image is vastly reduced, and sadly, the length of the time that the afterimage lingers is greatly increased. The condition is also experienced sporadically by those who suffer from migraines.