A glass of wine from time to time may brighten one's perspective. Similarly, science has proven that a positive outlook can help us see our world more fully.

Rose-colored glasses improve mood and eyesight

A 2009 study from the University of Toronto published in the Journal of Neuroscience showed that our emotions change the way our visual cortex functions. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology, the researchers found that subjects with a positive mindset were able to take in more visual information. More negative emotions limit perception.

At the start of the experiment, the subjects were shown a set of images designed to encourage either a bad mood or a good mood. Once they felt appropriately pessimistic or cheerful (depending on which test group they were assigned to), the subjects were shown an image of a face in a given environment, such as the inside of a house.

The subjects were asked to focus on the face and were asked to determine gender. The researchers found that those who were motivated by disturbing images focused well on the faces in the images, but paid little attention to other aspects. On the other hand, those whose mood was boosted by the positive images took more pictures of their environment, including details of the space around their faces.

By reviewing the FMRI data, the scientists determined that the actively stimulated subjects had greater stimulation in the brain's parahippocampal cortex, which is responsible for "memory formation and advanced visual processing," as the National Center for Biotechnology Information explains.

From an evolutionary perspective, this makes a lot of sense. If a person feels threatened or anxious, it may be due to a specific threat in the environment, in which case it is wise to focus primarily on that threat. All the other details become less important. But when you see the world in a positive light, the way people wear rose-colored glasses (cheap eyeglasses near me), your consciousness opens up to the details around you.