Anyone have a depth perception eye problem?

[dannius]

Does anyone on the forums have a problem with depth perception?

The reason I ask is that I am going on an advanced driving course in a couple of weeks and I know they will be testing my eyes prior to the course. Part of the test is a depth perception test.

Pre-empting this I have been to the opticians today and had an eye test. Now I know I am slightly long sighted in my right eye, but also that my left eye is perfect so they compensate for each other. Therefore I do not need glasses, the optician said my vision is almost perfect.

Now the issue is that I requested a depth perception test, and have found that I cannot pass the test. It's basically one of them tests where you look at a number of images and some of them should appear to "stand out", 3D style. Unfortunately none of them stood out for me! Apparently this is not a big deal, but it is also something which cannot be corrected with glasses.

The problem is I am not sure if this will stop me from taking part in the course. As part of the course I will be driving at high speeds and overtaking cars, I do not know how serious they will see this depth perception issue. I mean, I've been driving for 12 years already with no issues!!

Does anyone have this problem and can comment? Should I get a second opinion on it, to see if another optitian says it is correctable?

I'm seriously worried this could affect my career.........

This c

 

[Nick_UK]

I know this may sound brutal, but these requirements must be set for a reason, so maybe if you fail the test, it might be in the interests of both your safety and everyone else's. Good luck, anyway.

 

[dannius]

I do see your point Nick.

It's funny, the optician said to me they only normally carry out the depth perception test on children. In fact the glasses she had to put on me to carry out the test wouldn't even fit on my head!

 

[hufartd]

Are you sure the glasses wouldn't fit on your head?
Or were they just very far away

Hope all goes well though, IMO driving courses should be compulsory every five years or so.
Been on two in the last eight years they really wake you up to your bad habits.

 

[IronGiant]

Have you considered that a depth perception test designed for children might not work on adults, especially if the glasses didn't fit?

To DIY test depth perception hold out your left hand a foot or so from your face with the index finger extended and pointing to the right. Close your left eye and swiftly bring up your right hand and touch your index fingers together. Try again with your right eye shut and your right finger held still, swiftly bringing up your left hand. Chances are you will miss both times as you require binocular vision for depth perception. Repeat the whole performance but with both eyes open. If you touch fingers you have depth perception

Hope this helps.

Dave

 

[dannius]

Cheers for that guys!

 

[pringtef]

I do tend to find that after a few pints i often mistake a dog for a fox, but i thought that was a common ailment.....

 

[beaureef]

I know this may sound brutal, but these requirements must be set for a reason, so maybe if you fail the test, it might be in the interests of both your safety and everyone else's. Good luck, anyway.

Nick, yet again you have to question, question, question. Why assume that because it's written, it's valid. Have a mind of your own to question these things. I'm exasperated by your lack of depth.

If anyone agrees, please quote me.

 

[krish]

bit odd going through and responding to month old (approx) posts of an ex-forum member who can't answer back

 

[IronGiant]

Very strange, I agree Krish, some hidden agenda perhaps, especially in the constant desire to be quoted.

 

[beaureef]

Very strange, I agree Krish, some hidden agenda perhaps, especially in the constant desire to be quoted.

You got me.
My lack of depth is shallow.

 

[VMAX]

Being blind in one eye since an accident as a teenager, means no depth perception. However it doesn't pose any problems apart from being unable to catch something thrown to me or a total inability to play table tennis.
VMax

 

[IronGiant]

Vmax, a good point. I think humans get much of their deeper distance perception from learnt visual clues such as size and speed of recognised objects and binocular vision only really kicks in at short range, hence your table tennis problem. For even an advanced driving test I doubt the OP would need binocular vision, unless it involved rearwards handbrake turns into tight parking places

Dave

 

[PaulaB]

Have you considered that a depth perception test designed for children might not work on adults, especially if the glasses didn't fit?

To DIY test depth perception hold out your left hand a foot or so from your face with the index finger extended and pointing to the right. Close your left eye and swiftly bring up your right hand and touch your index fingers together. Try again with your right eye shut and your right finger held still, swiftly bringing up your left hand. Chances are you will miss both times as you require binocular vision for depth perception. Repeat the whole performance but with both eyes open. If you touch fingers you have depth perception

Hope this helps.

Dave

I have just tried this out twice and managed it both times and I DON'T have binocular vision. I was told at the age of 16 that I had been born without it!

 

[IronGiant]

Hi Paula, that's very interesting, it looks like the test tests binocular vision rather than depth perception itself. It looks like you have compensated superbly and don't need it. If I repeat the test enough times with a single eye I can go for visual clues to get my depth perception rather than binocular vision. You are apparently doing it all the time.

So, if I can reword it:

If you fail the test with either eye open but pass it with both eyes open, you rely on old fashioned binocular vision. If you pass all the time you are successfully relying on the high level information processing capacity of the human brain to do without it.

Dave