What is the term for an area of complete or partial blindness in an otherwise normal visual field?

The term for an area of complete or partial blindness in an otherwise normal visual field is scotoma. This condition can manifest as a small, localized area where vision is diminished or absent while the surrounding vision remains normal. Scotomas may occur due to various reasons, including retinal diseases, optic nerve issues, or neurological conditions, affecting a person's overall visual perception.

Other terms like "blind spot" typically refer to a specific area of the retina where there are no photoreceptor cells, specifically the optic disc, and does not encompass the larger idea of scotoma, which can be more variable in size and location. "Optic nerve damage" refers to a broader category of conditions affecting the nerve itself but does not specifically define the localized loss in the visual field. "Field loss" is a more general term that may describe various types of visual field deficits but lacks the specificity that "scotoma" provides for indicating localized blind areas.