Suppression in strabismus and the hemiretinal trigger mechanism.

A perimeter and a modified Lees screen were used to determine the area of visual field that is suppressed in strabismus. Strabismic patients without fusion suppress the whole area of the visual field of the deviating eye that could have correspondence with the dominant eye. In the monofixation syndrome, suppression only involves the fovea and the diplopic point of the deviating eye. Diplopia, if present, is appreciated throughout the visual field shared by the two eyes, except for the blind spots. No evidence of hemiretinal suppression was found in any type of horizontal strabismus, including exotropia. However, there is a hemiretinal trigger mechanism for suppression. Once suppression has been triggered by this mechanism, it involves the whole visual field of the deviating eye, except for the monocular temporal crescent.