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Early studies of eye dominances
1Department of Psychology, University of Dundee, Scotland. n.j.wade@dundee.ac.uk
Laterality
|October 30, 2004
Summary
Early research explored eye dominance, with Aristotle and Porta describing sighting and rivalry dominance. Borelli later assigned acuity dominance to the left eye, challenging earlier views on binocular vision.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology and Vision Science
- History of Science
Background:
- Historical accounts of eye dominance date back to ancient Greece.
- Early researchers like Aristotle and Porta investigated different facets of eye dominance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and contextualize early theories and observations of eye dominance.
- To examine historical perspectives on sighting, rivalry, and acuity dominance.
Main Methods:
- Historical literature review of early scientific accounts.
- Analysis of seminal works by Aristotle, Porta, and Borelli.
Main Results:
- Aristotle described an index of sighting dominance (eye closure).
- Porta (1593) introduced an alignment test for sighting dominance and noted rivalry dominance favoring the right eye.
- Borelli (1673) attributed acuity dominance to the left eye.
Conclusions:
- Early studies established distinct types of eye dominance: sighting, rivalry, and acuity.
- Historical findings on eye dominance varied, with differing assignments to the right or left eye.
- These early views provide context for the evolution of binocular vision theories.
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