Vision Visual perception , or simply vision , was the capacity for sight . Usually , this meant light was processed through one ' s eye s , by means of the optic nerve . Both form and colour were seen in this way . When one could not see at all , this was referred to as blindness . Eidetic memory , or photographic memory , was the ability to recall what one had seen before . ( TV : " Invasion of the Bane " , " The Wheel in Space " , " Terror of the Vervoids " , " The Eleventh Hour " ) Some people , with a night vision ability , could see well in the dark . ( PROSE : " Halflife " , " Tragedy Day " ) The Eighth Doctor claimed to have excellent night vision , ( PROSE : " Legacy of the Daleks " ) as did the Fifth Doctor . ( PROSE : " Observation " ) Indeed , Gallifreyan eyes were better at seeing in the dark , and could gather and enhance available light , ( PROSE : " Lucifer Rising " ) with incredible detail from a far distance , ( TV : " The Eleventh Hour " , " The Hungry Earth " ) and with a great amount of control . ( PROSE : " Seeing I " ) The Fourth Doctor indicated that he was short - sighted in his right eye , and so sometimes required an eyeglass . ( TV : " Four to Doomsday " ) The Ninth Doctor , finding himself squinting to see the TARDIS monitor , discovered that he was made short - sighted as a result of an energy drain via Glubby Glub , and pondered if he needed glasses . ( AUDIO : " Retail Therapy " ) Burning one ' s eyes , for example with taranium , could lead to such a state of blindness , ( TV : " Devil ' s Planet " ) as could , in the case of Time Lord s , prolonged exposure to the vacuum of space . The Twelfth Doctor himself became blind after walking outside in a vacuum without a helmet for too long . The Doctor ' s attempts at restoring his sight failed , leaving him unable to see at all . ( TV : " Oxygen " ) Some people , like King Henry VIII , were " practically " blind , in his case due to cataract s , unable to differentiate between light and colour . Even with the rudimentary glasses of the time , the King could only see everything as blurred light . The Third Doctor restored the King ' s sight with his sonic screwdriver . ( PROSE : " Hiccup in Time " ) Sarah Jane Smith believed that dog s could only see in black and white , and wondered if Time Lord s saw things differently , too . ( PROSE : " Rights " ) Lupine Wavelength Haemovariform did , in fact , have monochromatic vision . ( TV : " Tooth and Claw " ) Some species were naturally blind . The Cimmerian race was totally blind and had no concept of either sight nor eyes . ( AUDIO : " Embrace the Darkness " ) Slithergee s were also blind . ( AUDIO : " Flip - Flop " ) The Masters of Dorada lost the organs for sight and hearing when they became disembodied brain s , but could still sense others ' thought s . ( PROSE : " The Dream Masters " ) Vision aids . Often , technological aids would be used to help a person to see better , or to see anything at all . Glasses , or spectacles , could be used to sharpen one ' s vision , ( PROSE : " Hiccup in Time " ) to see greater into the distance , ( TV : " The Daleks " ) or to better be able to read , as with reading glasses . ( PROSE : " The Power of the Daleks " , TV : " The Angels Take Manhattan " ) A magnifying glass , though handheld rather than worn , allowed its user to view a magnified image of an object before them . ( TV : " The Power of the Daleks " , " Four to Doomsday " , " Snakedance " ) Some devices had night vision modes , also known as infra - red , allowing users to see in the dark . ( PROSE : " Decorative Purposes " ) The Eleventh Doctor had sunglasses which could function as thermal imaging scanners . ( TV : " The Hungry Earth " ) Other devices allowed for X - ray vision . The blind Twelfth Doctor made use of his sonic sunglasses to sort of see the world . As they were psychically linked to him , the Doctor was able to make out basic structures and architecture , and discern vital data about the people around him . ( TV : " Extremis " ) Dalek s had eyestalks which allowed them to visually perceive the outside world , ( TV : " The Dalek Invasion of Earth " , " Destiny of the Daleks " , " Remembrance of the Daleks " , " Dalek " , " Into the Dalek " ) through the Kaled mutant s within did have eyes , as well . ( TV : " Into the Dalek " ) Destroying or simply covering this eye piece could blind , and therefore incapacitate , a Dalek , who would then move around uncontrollably and fire its weapons in a blind panic , usually accompanied by the frantic screaming of " My vision is impaired ! I cannot see ! " . ( TV : " The Daleks " , " The Daleks ' Master Plan " , " Resurrection of the Daleks " , " Revelation of the Daleks " , " Remembrance of the Daleks " , " The Parting of the Ways " ) However , post - Time War Daleks overcame this weakness . ( TV : " The Parting of the Ways " , " The Stolen Earth " ) After Davros lost his vision , he used a blue lens on his forehead to see , similar to a Dalek eyestalk . ( TV : " Genesis of the Daleks " , " The Witch ' s Familiar " , et al . ) He was also capable of opening his true eyes , at least later in life , though he seldom made use of this ability . ( TV : " The Witch ' s Familiar " ) Metaphysical vision . Some people , like Gwyneth in 19th century Cardiff , had psychic abilities which allowed them far greater levels of perception . Gwyneth ' s mother believed that her daughter had " the sight " ; in reality , Gwyneth " did " have such abilities , as she was born on top of the Cardiff Rift , and was a major key to it . As a result , she was able to see , with great detail , Rose Tyler ' s London of the 21st century , complete with " metal birds and metal boxes " . ( TV : " The Unquiet Dead " ) Many in Pompeii , as the city reached its end , developed precognition due to the Pyrovile ' s involvement with Vesuvius , and a rift which opened up around the impending volcano . These prophet s included the Sibylline Sisterhood and the Cult of Vulcan . They were able to predict crops with astounding accuracy , and both Evelina and Lucius Petrus Dextrus were able to ascertain essential information about the Tenth Doctor and Donna Noble , including the Doctor ' s species and planet of origin . ( TV : " The Fires of Pompeii " ) While those like Engin maintained that " precognitive vision is impossible " , ( TV : " The Deadly Assassin " ) many experienced just that , with a variety of causes , often malevolent , or seeking to tempt . ( TV : " End of Days " , " The Deadly Assassin " ) Bilis Manger induced visions in many members of Torchwood Three , that felt " so real " , complete with smell s , sound s and actual touch sensations . Gwen Cooper saw her boyfriend Rhys Williams dead , with her hands soaked in his blood , and this came true , by Bilis ' hand . Owen Harper was tempted by a vision of Diane Holmes , a love interest of his who had flown off into the Cardiff Rift . They were effectively manipulated into opening up the Rift , thus freeing Abaddon from his confinement . ( TV : " End of Days " ) A quantum transducer allowed one not just to visually perceive scenes from the past , but actually experience the emotion s of those around them , during those visions . It also allowed for a view into the future , or one possible future , anyway . ( TV : " Ghost Machine " ) Tlotoxl " had a vision " , " of a room with three walls . " In placing the " false Yetaxa " — Barbara Wright — in there , and adding a fourth wall , order would be restored . ( TV : " The Aztecs " )