3. Optic Ataxia: The Missteps of Hand-Eye Coordination
Hand-eye coordination is something most take for granted. However, optic ataxia throws a wrench into this seamless operation. The eyes might spot an object, but the hand reaches out and misses, as if they’re operating in two different dimensions.
Picture this: you’re at a dinner table, and you try to grasp the salt shaker. Your hand overshoots, knocking over the pepper. You try again, this time undershooting and almost knocking your drink. It’s not clumsiness; it’s a genuine disconnect between what you see and how your hand responds.
Once again, the parietal lobes are the center of attention. They bridge our visual inputs with motor responses. When they’re compromised, due to injuries, tumors, or other neurological conditions, this bridge crumbles, leading to optic ataxia.(3)
