Depth Perception

[nurseypoo]

Son's friend who applied has problem with depth perception. He's fully commission qualified, according to dodmerb and the academies he has applied for. Are there eye exercises to help this? Surgery while @ USNA?

I'm obviously in the medical field, but never deal w/vision and can't help this kid.

Suggestions? Help?

 

[RetNavyHM]

Without knowing exactly why this applicant has defective depth perception (lazy eye, excessive refractive error, high phorias) its equally as hard to say if it is correctable. Most defective depth perception is caused by either lazy eye or high phorias. If caught early enough (around 3-5 years old) lazy eye can be corrected with eye patching to force the lazy eye to do all the work, and phorias can be corrected with surgery at an early age. By the time one is over 12 its very hard to retrain the brain, even with eye patching or surgery. I'm not saying that it can't be done, I really wouldn't know where to start. I would suggest that this applicant sit and talk with an optometrist or ophthalmologist and see what their thoughts are.

 

[nurseypoo]

Well, I don't think he has lazy eye. I've talked to this kid and have known him for four years, so I've never noticed him to have ambylopia (?), if that indeed is lazy eye.

How about a "what if?" What if it is excessive refraction? Could exercises help?

Yeah, he should talk to him optometrist.