Can ophthalmologists repair the brain in infantile esotropia? Early surgery, stereopsis, monofixation syndrome, and the legacy of Marshall Parks.
Can ophthalmologists repair defects of visual cortex circuitry in infants who have esotropia? The answer to this question encompasses both sensory and motor behaviors because the clinical hallmarks of the disorder are stereoblindness and absence of motor fusion, which manifests as convergently deviated eyes. Functional recovery of sensory and motor fusion in infantile esotropia was a consuming interest, if not career-defining passion, of Marshall Parks. The purpose of this work is to pay tribute to Parks' legacy by showing how human and animal studies, conducted largely during the last 25 years, support both his clinical insights and treatment philosophy.
Tychsen
Lawrence
L
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Anatomy and Neurobiology, and Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA. tychsen@vision.wustl.edu
D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003867:Depth Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D004948:Esotropia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009801:Oculomotor Muscles / Q000601:surgery*; D013577:Syndrome; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000502:physiology; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology*