My peripheral vision is way more blurred than in real life.

Yeah it's kind of annoying when trying to solidify a dream.

Oh yea, I know the feeling.

Oddly enough, when I sleep with contacts in is when I have this problem.

Verbal commands DO actually help me, so you could give it a try.

I've had this, and it makes it worse if you think about it, but if you just go on your way into the dreamscape, it should focus up on its own