A significant portion of the work is dedicated to the anatomy and physiology of the primate visual system.
The volume opens by tracing visual science from the ancient Greeks to the early 20th century, highlighting the evolution of our understanding of perspective and stereoscopic vision.
is a foundational work by Ian P. Howard that serves as a definitive technical review of the biological and psychophysical processes allowing humans and animals to navigate a three-dimensional world.
As the first entry in a three-volume series, it focuses exclusively on the sensory and physiological "building blocks" of depth perception, moving from historical discovery to the latest in neural plasticity.
Unlike simpler texts, this volume also provides deep dives into the motor controls of vision, such as accommodation (the eye's ability to focus) and vergence (the simultaneous movement of both eyes to maintain single binocular vision). Development and Neural Plasticity
Howard explores how the brain translates raw light signals into meaningful geometric representations of space.
Howard provides a comprehensive review of how depth perception matures from the embryonic stage to post-natal life.
A detailed analysis covers how disruptions during these critical periods—such as strabismus (crossed eyes) or monocular deprivation—can lead to permanent defects like amblyopia (lazy eye) or a total loss of stereoscopic vision.