[The development of stereoscopic vision in the first months of life]

Dynamic random dot patterns generated on a TV screen by a special pattern generator are proven to be adequate stimuli for testing stereopsis. The registration of transient visual evoked cortical potentials (VECP) to these random dot stimuli offers objective proof of stereopsis. Using different disparities in older people a typical amplitude behaviour in the dynamic random dot stereo VECP with maximum amplitudes to medium sized disparities was found. Compared to 20 adults and 30 children with normal vision, in 26 children with negative TNO- and Titmus-tests for stereoscopic vision treated for strabismus no dynamic random dot stereo VECPs could be recorded. The development of stereoscopic vision in the first 12 months of life was investigated in five babies. First positive components in the dynamic random dot stereo VECP could be found in the 4th to 6th months of life in all children. From these results the assumption, that stereoscopic vision develops in later childhood, must be revised in favour of a much earlier period of infancy.