Depth Perception, Binocular Integration and Hand-Eye Coordination in Intact and Stereo Impaired Human Subjects

Abstract

A series of tests was devised to assess stereoscopic depth processing, motion parallax depth processing, binocular integration and hand-eye coordination in normal, stereoblind, and stereo deficient subjects. Using a randomdot stereoscopic display viewed through a stereoscope we established that of the 262 subjects tested, 177 were categorized as having normal stereoscopic depth perception, 28 as being stereo deficient and 57 as being stereoblind. These three groups of subjects processed motion parallax information for depth equally well, but the stereoblind and stereo deficient subjects had significantly longer reaction times. On the hand-eye coordination tests the stereoblind subjects performed significantly less well than did normal and stereo deficient subjects, whose performance on these tests was similar. Our binocular integration tests revealed significantly less integration in stereoblind subjects than in normal and stereo deficient subjects. The tests we have devised will be useful for the accurate assessment of various forms of treatment for amblyopia and strabismus for the reinstatement of depth perception, hand-eye coordination and binocular integration.