Normal binocular fusion may continue to exist even in extreme degrees of
monocular weak sight; I have observed it up to a visual acuteness of
1/24. The stereoscope is well adapted to prove binocular fusion in these
cases; only we must then take care that sufficiently large letters are
present in the visual field of the defective eye, so that they may
easily be recognised with the existing visual acuteness. Binocular
fusion is naturally rendered still more difficult if the weak-sighted
eye is at the same time hypermetropic to a high degree, as it then
receives simultaneously indistinct retinal images on account of the
difference of refraction; and yet in the above table there are 117 cases
with hypermetropia of at least 2 D. in the better eye, and faulty visual
acuteness in the other, 7 with visual acuteness of less than 1/7 to V.
1/12, and 9 with less than 1/12 to V. 1/36.
In the highest degrees of congenital defective vision, binocular fusion
cannot as a rule be proved; partly because the methods of investigation
by which we are able to prove binocular fusion presuppose the existence
of a sufficient visual acuteness. On the other hand, it cannot be
expected that normal binocular vision can be learnt with such a large
amount of monocular defective vision. If the relative strength of the
muscles is normal, so also are the position and movements of the eyes,
if elastic preponderance on the part of the muscles is present, which in
monocular defective vision of considerable degree is no longer governed
by binocular fusion, and this is frequently the case, squint is
developed.
Sometimes other congenital anomalies are present at the same time with
congenital defective vision (for example, congenital dermoid growths on
the edge of the cornea), and undoubtedly hereditary influences play a
considerable rôle therein.
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