In the peripheral drift illusions, the edges of a static pattern appear to move as one fixates on the central area. It has been assumed that this sensation is triggered by micromovements of the eyes, such as tremors, microsaccades and drift, but the specifics of the mechanism has not been established.
The present work examined the drift illusion while monitoring eye movements, and found that the strength of peripheral motion was related to the variability of drift. The effects were most pronounced immediately after onset of the pattern, and declined as the stimulus became well fixated. Further, the amount of perceived motion depended on whether the pattern was seen by central vision, with peripheral cues playing a much smaller role. This is consistent with the conclusion that central vision provides the relevant cues needed to control for drift micromovements and thus for stabilizing perception during fixation.