Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 12, 2025
08:27
Quantification of Oculomotor Responses and Accommodation Through Instrumentation and Analysis Toolboxes
Published on: March 3, 2023
1.1K
Neural Control of Vergence and Ocular Accommodation
Julie Quinet1, Kevin Schultz2, Paul J May2
1Department of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Annual Review of Vision Science
|August 5, 2025
Summary
This review details the neural control of vergence and accommodation, essential for 3D vision in primates. It covers sensory inputs, sensorimotor transformations, and the neural substrates involved in these crucial eye movements.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Ophthalmology
- Vision Science
Background:
- Vergence and accommodation are critical for clear binocular vision in a 3D environment.
- Understanding their neural control is vital for addressing visual disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current knowledge on the neural mechanisms underlying vergence and accommodation.
- To explore the sensory stimuli, sensorimotor transformations, and neural substrates involved.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on neural control of eye movements in primates.
- Analysis of sensory inputs, motor outputs, and central neural pathways.
Main Results:
- Detailed description of sensory stimuli driving vergence and accommodation.
- Models of sensorimotor transformations for these eye movements are presented.
- Interaction of vergence with saccades for rapid gaze shifts is discussed.
Conclusions:
- The review synthesizes current understanding of the neural control of vergence and accommodation.
- It highlights the developmental aspects and maldevelopmental sequelae.
- Key neural substrates, including cortical and subcortical areas, are examined.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Muscles of the Eye
2.0K
The muscles of the eye are sophisticated structures that control eye movement and focus, allowing for the precise and rapid adjustments necessary for vision. The human eye is controlled by ten muscles — six extraocular muscles, three intraocular muscles, and one primary eyelid retractor muscle.
Extraocular Muscles
The six extraocular muscles surround the eyeball and control its movements. They are responsible for a wide range of eye motions, including looking up, down, left, right, and...
Extraocular Muscles
The six extraocular muscles surround the eyeball and control its movements. They are responsible for a wide range of eye motions, including looking up, down, left, right, and...
2.0K
01:17Accessory Structures of the Eye
1.9K
Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...
1.9K
01:15Depth Perception and Spatial Vision
913
Depth perception is the ability to perceive objects three-dimensionally. It relies on two types of cues: binocular and monocular. Binocular cues depend on the combination of images from both eyes and how the eyes work together. Since the eyes are in slightly different positions, each eye captures a slightly different image. This disparity between images, known as binocular disparity, helps the brain interpret depth. When the brain compares these images, it determines the distance to an object.
913
01:29The Vestibular System
40.2K
The vestibular system is a set of inner ear structures that provide a sense of balance and spatial orientation. This system is comprised of structures within the labyrinth of the inner ear, including the cochlea and two otolith organs—the utricle and saccule. The labyrinth also contains three semicircular canals—superior, posterior, and horizontal—that are oriented on different planes.
40.2K
01:20Anatomy of the Eyeball
7.6K
The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle...
7.6K
01:24Vision
55.3K
Vision is the result of light being detected and transduced into neural signals by the retina of the eye. This information is then further analyzed and interpreted by the brain. First, light enters the front of the eye and is focused by the cornea and lens onto the retina—a thin sheet of neural tissue lining the back of the eye. Because of refraction through the convex lens of the eye, images are projected onto the retina upside-down and reversed.
55.3K