Suppression and stereopsis in Amblyopia
Dennis Levi, Professor
Optometry
Closed. This professor is continuing with Fall 2024 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Spring 2025.
Most observers experience the world in three dimensions (3D) made possible by a combination of monocular and binocular cues to depth. In Amblyopia, a developmental disorder of spatial vision, a significant portion of observers have very coarse or no stereopsis (a cue for 3D perception). Previous research has shown that observers with small angle strabismus (i.e., an eye turn) were able to detect depth in the fovea from disparity (i.e., a cue for stereopsis based on the difference between each eye’s retinal image). Interestingly, when the same disparity values are used in the periphery, observers with larger eye turn deviations were also able to detect depth. In this way, the current project investigates peripheral stereopsis in relation to amblyopia in an effort to understand whether stereopsis is mediated by the periphery (both in strabismic and anisometropic amblyopes).
This project is in extended collaboration with Dr. Preeti Verghese and Dr. Adrien Chopin (Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Institute, San Francisco, USA).
Role: Students will contribute to screenings as well as data collection and have the opportunity to interact with patients and controls. If interested, more research tasks (e.g., data analysis) can be negotiated. Responsibility and flexibility are vital.
Qualifications: Interest in vision, commitment, and high motivation are required. Good communication skills and courteous attitude are required. The assistants must be dependable, responsible, and be able to work independently when it is required. Assistants are expected to devote about 8-10 hours per week for the project (hours can be negotiated if needed). Flexibility with hours and ability to be present at the lab in the evenings and occasional weekends are a plus. Research tasks and commitment can be negotiated by students. Students will contribute to screenings as well as data collection and have the opportunity to interact with patients and controls. If interested, more research tasks (e.g., data analysis) can be negotiated. Responsibility and flexibility are vital.
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Dr. Angela Gomez Tomaz, Post-Doc
Hours: 9-11 hrs
Biological & Health Sciences