What is the purpose of binocular vision?

The purpose of binocular vision primarily revolves around depth perception and the ability to perceive the world in three dimensions. When both eyes are used together, they provide slightly different images due to their horizontal separation. The brain processes these two images to create a single, cohesive view that incorporates depth, allowing individuals to judge distances accurately and perceive spatial relationships between objects. This ability to gauge how far away things are is crucial for everyday tasks, such as reaching for an object, driving, or playing sports.

While color identification, peripheral awareness, and eye coordination are important aspects of visual processing, they do not specifically hinge on the binocular vision system in the same manner depth perception does. Color identification depends more on the cones in the retina and the brain's interpretation of color signals, peripheral awareness involves different mechanisms of visual processing, and eye coordination is more about how the eyes work together to maintain alignment during movement rather than depth perception itself. Thus, the essential role of binocular vision is best encapsulated by its contribution to a three-dimensional view and depth perception.