Question about Stereo Vision and Strabismus

Factual Questions
1

Hello, Straightdopers; AMAPAC here with a question about strabismus and the development of stereo vision in children and adults.

(Probably won’t be of much interest to anyone except ophthamologists, and maybe not even them…)

History: Full-term male infant presents with constant alternating esotropia at near and far, ~40 diopters. Intolerant of patching, no treatment. Presents at age 23, bilateral medial rectus recession performed. Constant post-surgical diplopia, objectionable but well tolerated. Presents at age 28 with very slight alternating exotropia, appears to be adaptation to the diplopia, which patient reports is less objectionable and can be suppressed at will. Patient also reports a gradual and continuing reduction in trouble determining location of objects in space.

The Question: is it possible this patient is developing stereopsis in adulthood?

Thanks…AMAPAC

2

Some of your jargon goes over my head, but I’ll throw in some anecdotal evidence: when I was a child I had surgery for strabismus. My optician said that I would not have stereo vision and indeed all the tests showed that I did not.

However in my late teens/early twenties, when the “Magic Eye” craze appeared, I managed after long eye-watering spells of staring at the pictures to acquire a stereo effect very occasionally, and my depth perception seems to have improved gradually.

I don’t know how it compares to other people’s now, as I obviously don’t know any different, but I have no problem, for example, playing squash, catching a ball, parking etc etc.