Binocular Eye Movements

Call for Papers

Vision is one of the most important senses in humans. Since humans typically use both of their eyes for visual perception, binocular fusion is an essential aspect of most visual experiences. Generally, the process of binocular fusion consists of two different, distinct mechanisms: motor and sensory fusions. Motor fusion is supposed to be a prerequisite for sensory fusion and sensory fusion is further subdivided into finer hierarchical levels which, when completed, lead to a rich, natural perception of single objects in three-dimensional space. A good control of the binocular motor system is, therefore, necessary to explore the natural world which, in turn, is essential for normal visual-cognitive development during childhood. Saccades are very fast movements of the two eyes which bring the object of interest onto the fovea and they are the most frequently performed eye movements in everyday life. Vergence eye movements are also frequently used to adjust the angle of the visual axes according to the distance of the object of interest. For instance, in all activities where the near distance is used (such as reading), good control of both saccadic and vergence eye movements is necessary.

The main focus of this special issue will be on studies dealing with binocular motor control in healthy subjects as well as in subjects with pathologies. This issue will report on the most recent findings in normal and pathological binocular control in children as well as in adults that will be useful for fundamental researchers and clinicians in order to better understand and, ultimately, to improve binocular training techniques. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Binocular coordination of saccades and vergence
• Binocular control during reading
• Training protocols for improving saccades and vergence control
• Binocular control and adaptation capabilities
• Relations between motoric and sensory fusions, that is, binocular adjustments and stereovision
• Effects of heterophoria and its adaptation
• Clinical studies
• Futures strategies

Before submission authors should carefully read over the journal's Author Guidelines, which are located at http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jop/guidelines/. Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Tracking System at http://mts.hindawi.com/submit/journals/jop/bem/ according to the following timetable:

Lead Guest Editor

• Maria Pia Bucci, Université Paris Diderot-Paris 7, 75205 Paris cedex 13, France

Guest Editors

• Stephanie Jainta, Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors, 44139 Dortmund, Germany
• Tara L. Alvarez, Department of Biomedical Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102-1982, USA
• Hazel I. Blythe, School of Psychology, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK