Neuroscientist Bruce Bridgeman, who was stereoblind from birth, suddenly gained the ability to perceive depth in 3-D for the first time in 2012. Experts hypothesize that this remarkable recovery was possible because a fleeting moment of binocular vision during his early development preserved the necessary neural cells. These cells, which respond to binocular cues, likely remained dormant until they were finally activated decades later.

Case Study: Bruce Bridgeman's Vision Recovery and its Neurological Hypothesis

Stereoblindness is a condition characterized by the inability to use binocular cues to perceive depth. Individuals with this condition must depend solely on monocular cues to interpret the three-dimensional world.

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Binocular cues are visual signals used to perceive depth that depend on the simultaneous use of both eyes. By integrating the slightly different information received from each eye's unique vantage point, the brain can establish a sense of three-dimensional space.

Binocular Cues

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

As a primary example of a binocular cue, binocular disparity refers to the subtle difference between the visual images that each eye receives. Because the eyes are horizontally separated, they capture slightly different views of the world, and the brain uses this disparity to compute depth.

Binocular Disparity

Stereoblindness

The nervous system possesses specialized cells that respond to binocular depth cues. For these cells to be maintained and function later in life, they must be activated by visual input during a critical period in early development.

Neural Persistence in Binocular Vision Development

Based on the principles of depth perception, explain why the task described in the case study becomes much harder when performed with only one eye open.

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