The volume opens by tracing visual science from the ancient Greeks to the early 20th century, highlighting the evolution of our understanding of perspective and stereoscopic vision.
Howard details historical display systems like panoramas, peepshows, and the invention of the stereoscope, which first allowed humans to artificially simulate depth.
The book emphasizes "experience-dependent" neural plasticity—the idea that the brain's visual circuits must be "tuned" by environmental stimuli during early development to function correctly.
A detailed analysis covers how disruptions during these critical periods—such as strabismus (crossed eyes) or monocular deprivation—can lead to permanent defects like amblyopia (lazy eye) or a total loss of stereoscopic vision.
Unlike simpler texts, this volume also provides deep dives into the motor controls of vision, such as accommodation (the eye's ability to focus) and vergence (the simultaneous movement of both eyes to maintain single binocular vision). Development and Neural Plasticity
Howard provides a comprehensive review of how depth perception matures from the embryonic stage to post-natal life.
A significant portion of the work is dedicated to the anatomy and physiology of the primate visual system.
