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Abstract
Four kittens were raised with an opaque contact lens covering one eye for one day and the other eye for the next day, alternating eyes day by day from shortly after birth until six months of age. This rearing procedure severely reduces the proportion of binocularly innervated neurones in visual cortex. Eye alignment measurements, obtained using a corneal reflex technique, disclosed that this neurophysiologic abnormality is accompanied by at least a mild strabismus. Videotape records of eye movements of the restrained cats showed consistent vergence movements upon presentation of an interesting object. These results indicate that: (1) deficits in the neural mechanisms subserving binocular vision can lead to strabismus; and (2) binocular neurones are unnecessary for the initiation of horizontal vergence eye movements.