Monocular and binocular depth discrimination thresholds.

Abstract

Measurement of stereoacuity at varying distances, by real or simulated depth stereoacuity tests, is helpful in the evaluation of patients with binocular imbalance or strabismus. Although the cue of binocular disparity underpins stereoacuity tests, there may be variable amounts of other binocular and monocular cues inherent in a stereoacuity test. In such circumstances, a combined monocular and binocular threshold of depth discrimination may be measured--stereoacuity conventionally referring to the situation where binocular disparity giving rise to retinal disparity is the only cue present. A child-friendly variable distance stereoacuity test (VDS) was developed, with a method for determining the binocular depth threshold from the combined monocular and binocular threshold of depth of discrimination (CT). Subjects with normal binocular function, reduced binocular function, and apparently absent binocularity were included. To measure the threshold of depth discrimination, subjects were required by means of a hand control to align two electronically controlled spheres at viewing distances of 1, 3, and 6m. Stereoacuity was also measured using the TNO, Frisby, and Titmus stereoacuity tests. BTs were calculated according to the function BT= arctan (1/tan alphaC - 1/tan alphaM)(-1), where alphaC and alphaM are the angles subtended at the nodal points by objects situated at the monocular threshold (alphaM) and the combined monocular-binocular threshold (alphaC) of discrimination. In subjects with good binocularity, BTs were similar to their combined thresholds, whereas subjects with reduced and apparently absent binocularity had binocular thresholds 4 and 10 times higher than their combined thresholds (CT). The VDS binocular thresholds showed significantly higher correlation and agreement with the TNO test and the binocular thresholds of the Frisby and Titmus tests, than the corresponding combined thresholds (p = 0.0019). The VDS was found to be an easy to use real depth (distance) stereoacuity test. The method described for calculating the BT provides one simple nonlinear solution for determining the respective contributions of binocular and monocular (MT) depth discrimination to the combined depth threshold.