In the Pixar Movie Monsters Inc., Mike Wazowski is a lovable and laughable monster with one big eye (as seen above). Unfortunately for Mike, in the real world he would never enjoy the capability of binocular vision. Interestingly, having two eyes isn’t enough for binocular vision to occur.

Human eyes are designed to work as a team, both looking in the same direction at the same focal point, and returning similar images that the brain and visual system combine into one, stereoscopic, binocular view.

Binocular vision is important in developing good depth perception, which in turn affects coordination and hand to eye skills. Without binocular vision, catching a baseball, making sense of classroom instructions on a blackboard or screen, and performing simple tasks such as walking or running becomes difficult. Those with impaired binocular vision often appear clumsy and uncoordinated because they lack the ability to orient themselves with relation to their environment.

One cause of poor binocular vision is eye alignment. The eyes, as described above, are not looking in the same direction. It is estimated that 3 percent of the population suffers from such issues. Another cause of poor binocular vision is a dramatic difference in acuity between the two eyes, with one eye seeing quite well and the other with a severe acuity issue. It is thought that as high as 12 percent of the population has binocular vision impairment.

Such vision disorders are sometimes missed in regular eye examinations. Should you suspect a binocular vision problem or another vision disorder, schedule and examination by a developmental optometrist, trained to diagnose and treat these conditions. Early treatment is the key and it ensures that children will not lag behind peers due to vision problems once they reach school age.

Ensure your child will progress to their full potential by scheduling a comprehensive exam with Dr. Tod Davis and Dr. Amy Carlyle Developmental Optometry and Vision Therapy Services. We provide vision therapy programs that will help your children to see the world at its very best.