 The eyes of most salamanders are adapted primarily for vision at night . In some permanently aquatic species , they are reduced in size and have a simplified retinal structure , and in cave dwellers such as the Georgia blind salamander , they are absent or covered with a layer of skin . In amphibious species , the eyes are a compromise and are nearsighted in air and farsighted in water . Fully terrestrial species such as the fire salamander have a flatter lens which can focus over a much wider range of distances . To find their prey , salamanders use trichromatic color vision extending into the ultraviolet range , based on three photoreceptor types that are maximally sensitive around 450 , 500 , and 570 nm . The larvae , and the adults of some highly aquatic species , also have a lateral line organ , similar to that of fish , which can detect changes in water pressure . 
