Foveational complexity in single word identification: Contralateral visual pathways are advantaged over ipsilateral pathways

► Subjects are made to read words using contralateral, ipsilateral or both pathways. ► Contralateral visual pathways from the fovea are preferred over ipsilateral ones. ► We reveal new aspects of the simple act of looking at a single, short word. ► We show that the human fovea is vertically divided in a way relevant to reading.