title: The effects of absence of stereopsis on performance of a simulated surgical task in two-dimensional and three-dimensional viewing conditions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stereopsis is believed to be advantageous for surgical tasks that require precise hand-eye coordination. We investigated the effects of short-term and long-term absence of stereopsis on motor task performance in three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) viewing conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  30 participants with normal stereopsis and 15 participants with absent stereopsis performed a simulated surgical task both in free space under direct vision (3D) and via a monitor (2D), with both eyes open and one eye covered in each condition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stereo-normal group scored higher, on average, than the stereo-absent group with both eyes open under direct vision (p<0.001). Both groups performed comparably in monocular and binocular monitor viewing conditions (p=0.579).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-grade stereopsis confers an advantage when performing a fine motor task under direct vision. However, stereopsis does not appear advantageous to task performance under 2D viewing conditions, such as in video-assisted surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK University College London Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bloch
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uddin
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gannon
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: Khadija
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rantell
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK University College London Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jain
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003867:Depth Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008297:Male; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D010468:Perceptual Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D020535:Video-Assisted Surgery; D015357:Vision Disparity / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Visual perception