Adaptive changes in post-saccadic drift induced by patching one eye

Abstract

A prior study showed that after horizontal saccades the abducting eye has little post-saccadic drift (about 0.5 deg/sec) while the abducting eye has considerable onward drift (about 1.7 deg/sec). To investigate this further, five subjects patched one eye for three days. This reduced the drift after adducting saccades in the viewing eye to the level of that after abducting saccades. The changes were a combination of conjugate and disconjugate alterations. Decreases in drift in the viewing eye did not cause increases in drift in the covered eye. These changes appear functional in that retinal image slip is decreased in the viewing eye but why this goal is not attained when both eyes habitually view is not understood. Also, post-saccadic drift could depend on which eye was used to view the target.