Binocular Advantage in Established Eye–Hand Coordination Tests in Young and Healthy Adults

Abstract

Background: Eye–hand coordination (EHC) plays a critical role in daily activities and is affected by monocular vision impairment. This study evaluates existing EHC tests to detect performance decline under monocular conditions, supports the assessment and monitoring of vision rehabilitation, and quantifies the binocular advantage of each test. Methods: A total of 70 healthy sports students (aged 19–30 years) participated in four EHC tests: the Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT), Finger–Nose Test (FNT), Alternate Hand Wall Toss Test (AHWTT), and Loop-Wire Test (LWT). Each participant completed the tests under both binocular and monocular conditions in a randomized order, with assessments conducted by two independent raters. Performance differences, binocular advantage, effect sizes, and interrater reliability were analyzed. Results: Data from 66 participants were included in the final analysis. Significant performance differences between binocular and monocular conditions were observed for the LWT (p < 0.001), AHWTT (p < 0.001), and PPT (p < 0.05), with a clear binocular advantage and large effect sizes (SMD range: 0.583–1.660) for the AHWTT and LWT. Female participants performed better in fine motor tasks, while males demonstrated superior performance in gross motor tasks. Binocular performance averages aligned with published reference values. Conclusions: The findings support the inclusion of the LWT and AHWTT in clinical protocols to assess and assist individuals with monocular vision impairment, particularly following sudden uniocular vision loss. Future research should extend these findings to different age groups and clinically relevant populations.