Mind-bending optical illusion makes this circle look like it changes colour - but does it look like it to you?

This optical illusion baffles everyone who looks at it - and it will confuse you too.

The question with this one is simple - does the circle in the image change colour or not as it travels across the different backgrounds?

All you have to do is say what you see when you look at the image.

So, where has the image come from and what does it actually show?

Here’s what you need to know.

What does the image show?

The image shows multiple circles across changing background colours, moving from dark blue, to light blue and then white.

In this illusion, the circle appears a lighter blue at the start when up against a darker blue background and the opposite at the end when it looks a darker blue against a light blue background.

The simple question is does the circle really change colour? The answer is no, it’s not changing colour at all, but your mind is fooling you into thinking that it is.

Our brains decide the colour of the circle when it is compared against different colours and lighting backgrounds, but the circle actually remains the same colour throughout.

Where has the image come from?

The illusion has been shared by online contact lens retailer Lenstore, which was founded in 2008.

How does the optical illusion work?

This is a colour saturation optical illusion,  where the object appears to change colour as it moves through different backgrounds but it in fact just remains the same colour throughout.

This occurs due to our brain perceiving the colour of the object to change when it changes environment.

Sujata Paul, optician and professional services client lead at Lenstore, said this can explain why this type of illusions can fool people.

He said: “We have cells in our retina, the tissue at the back of our eyes, one called cones which judge colour and the other rods which judge brightness.

“They then pass information through signals via the optic nerve to the brain, where it then tries to figure out what we are seeing by what signals it receives.

“Certain exposure to brightness, patterns and colours can impact perceptions and that is what occurs when we see this colour saturation optical illusion.”

How can I see more optical illusions?

Check out our optical illusions page for more mind-bending images.

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