Depth Perception
02/22/2016 16:59
Working together, your eyes and your brain create a 3-D image of the world around you. Good depth perception requires that your eyes work together properly and that your brain uses both images simultaneously. There are many reasons why you may not have good depth perception, even if you have good vision. The problem may be in one or both eyes, or it may be in your brain. In many cases there are ways that you can improve your depth perception.
Unequal Vision
You do not need perfect vision to have good depth perception. Even those who have no noticeable problem seeing clearly can have depth perception problems. When one eye produces a better image than the other, your brain automatically chooses the best image and blocks out the poor one.
In some ways, that's great. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to function if you were actually seeing two different images all the time? However, you do need images from both eyes for proper depth perception.
If you have a different refractive power in each eye, it is called anisometropia. This can often be corrected by using a different prescription for each eye or with LASIK surgery that corrects each eye to the same refractive power. Aniseikonia is a condition in which the images are different in size or shape. LASIK surgery can correct this, as well.
Experiencing any kind of reduced vision or vision loss in one eye due to an injury or condition of the eye, such as a cataract, will also interfere with your depth perception.
Convergence Problems
Not only do you need equal quality of images from each eye, your eyes need to point at exactly the same spot to get two images that the brain can combine.
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes do not point in the same direction. A person with strabismus may appear cross-eyed or they may have one or both eyes pointing in different directions. The effect of strabismus can be constant or it can come and go.
Another eye condition that can impair quality depth perception is cranial nerve palsy. Cranial nerve palsy is a condition in which one eye points outward.
Although some conditions are very obvious to observers, poor convergence can be very subtle. If your eyes appear to point in the same direction and you do not notice any problems yourself, poor depth perception can be a sign that your eyes are not quite working together.
Contrast
Progressive conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts also cause a gradual loss of contrast. Visual contrast is your ability to make a distinction between light and dark. The loss of visual contrast also reduces your ability to perceive depth.
Improving Depth Perception
In most cases, poor depth perception can be corrected. Treatment depends on the cause. Differing refractive errors between your eyes can be corrected with LASIK surgery and, of course, cataracts can be corrected with cataract surgery. Minor convergence problems can often be improved with eye exercises.
Declining depth perception can mean that you are losing sight in one or both eyes. Sudden loss of depth perception can be the sign of a serious medical emergency. If you are experiencing depth perception problems, talk to your ophthalmologist about the possible causes and solutions.
Unequal Vision
You do not need perfect vision to have good depth perception. Even those who have no noticeable problem seeing clearly can have depth perception problems. When one eye produces a better image than the other, your brain automatically chooses the best image and blocks out the poor one.
In some ways, that's great. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to function if you were actually seeing two different images all the time? However, you do need images from both eyes for proper depth perception.
If you have a different refractive power in each eye, it is called anisometropia. This can often be corrected by using a different prescription for each eye or with LASIK surgery that corrects each eye to the same refractive power. Aniseikonia is a condition in which the images are different in size or shape. LASIK surgery can correct this, as well.
Experiencing any kind of reduced vision or vision loss in one eye due to an injury or condition of the eye, such as a cataract, will also interfere with your depth perception.
Convergence Problems
Not only do you need equal quality of images from each eye, your eyes need to point at exactly the same spot to get two images that the brain can combine.
Strabismus is a condition in which the eyes do not point in the same direction. A person with strabismus may appear cross-eyed or they may have one or both eyes pointing in different directions. The effect of strabismus can be constant or it can come and go.
Another eye condition that can impair quality depth perception is cranial nerve palsy. Cranial nerve palsy is a condition in which one eye points outward.
Although some conditions are very obvious to observers, poor convergence can be very subtle. If your eyes appear to point in the same direction and you do not notice any problems yourself, poor depth perception can be a sign that your eyes are not quite working together.
Contrast
Progressive conditions, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cataracts also cause a gradual loss of contrast. Visual contrast is your ability to make a distinction between light and dark. The loss of visual contrast also reduces your ability to perceive depth.
Improving Depth Perception
In most cases, poor depth perception can be corrected. Treatment depends on the cause. Differing refractive errors between your eyes can be corrected with LASIK surgery and, of course, cataracts can be corrected with cataract surgery. Minor convergence problems can often be improved with eye exercises.
Declining depth perception can mean that you are losing sight in one or both eyes. Sudden loss of depth perception can be the sign of a serious medical emergency. If you are experiencing depth perception problems, talk to your ophthalmologist about the possible causes and solutions.
