Abstract

Aims: To establish the range of normal distance stereoacuity and evaluate its development in visually normal children by using the Frisby–Davis distance stereotest (FD2).

Methods: The distance stereoacuity of visually normal children aged less than 11 years and of adults was measured with FD2 using a standard testing protocol.

Result: This study involved 94 visually normal children aged 36–131 months and 46 visually normal adults aged 20–49 years. The distance stereoacuity of the children aged 36–59 months was 40.61 (SD 9.823) seconds of arc; that of the children aged 60–119 months, 14.18 (8.152) seconds of arc; and that of the adults, 12.50 (4.802) seconds of arc. The FD2 distance stereoacuity of the children aged 36–59 months differed significantly from that of the older subjects (p = 0.000), and the FD2 distance stereoacuity of the children aged more than 59 months did not differ significantly from that of the adults (p = 0.813).

Conclusion: Distance stereoacuity reaches adult levels at approximately 5 years of age. These data of the age-related normal values could represent a reference frame for the comparison of data obtained for clinical populations.