Binocular Vision
Binocular vision is the three dimensional vision we perceive as a result of fusing slightly different images from each eye. If the brain has difficulty performing this task, you will not be able to achieve SINGLE, CLEAR, and COMFORTABLE vision when you use the two eyes simultaneously. Binocular vision disorders are commonly un-diagnosed or mis-diagnosed.
Binocular Vision
Great Comfort and Vision
Binocular vision, also known as eye-teaming, is the three dimensional vision we perceive as a result of the brain fusing slightly different two dimensional images from each eye. The vision we achieve by using the eyes together is greater than the sum of the vision we would experience by adding the individual vision of each eye because the eyes behave synergistically.
In addition to achieving three-dimensional vision, binocular vision allows us to see depth and localize objects in space. For this reason, depth perception and stereopsis is actually a better indicator of overall visual performance than visual acuity (being able to read an eye chart). When the brain has trouble efficiently coordinating between the two eyes, we start to experience symptoms like:
- eye strain
- fatigue
- headaches
- double vision
- slow reading
- poor reading comprehension
- words moving around the page or splitting
- losing your place when you read
- closing or covering an eye to see better
- clear vision with each eye individually, but uncomfortable vision when both eyes are used together
Words Splitting
Double Vision
Words Moving on the Page
These symptoms become worse when the patient is tired, sick, or after intensive visual work. If the binocular vision is severe enough, it can result in crossed or lazy eyes, interfere with eye movement control, and cause focusing dysfunction. Deficiencies in eye teaming ability will cause people to use excess effort to take in and process visual information and will reduce their ability to sustain visual attention. They will also negatively influence the ability to make accurate spatial judgments.
While gross binocular dysfunctions like crossed and lazy eyes will be detected by a general eye doctor, most eye doctors will not evaluate you for the more subtle defects of binocular vision that result in the above symptoms – you need a developmental optometrist like Dr. Lisa Januskey for that. Many of our patients with these disorders tell us that they’ve had eye exams for over 20 years and were never diagnosed with their binocular vision disorder until they came to our clinic. Others tell us that they thought they had ADHD or dyslexia, when it was actually a binocular vision disorder the entire time. The good news is that, if it is a binocular vision disorder, it’s easily addressed with vision therapy.
