No, you cannot perceive 3D in the same way as with two eyes, but you can still perceive depth.
Understanding Depth Perception
While having two eyes provides binocular vision, enhancing depth perception significantly, it's not the only way our brains understand depth. Having only one working eye does not lead to zero depth perception. Our brains utilize various monocular cues to gauge distance and create a sense of three-dimensionality, even with only one eye.
Monocular Depth Cues
These cues help us interpret depth from a single viewpoint:
- Relative Size: Larger objects appear closer.
- Linear Perspective: Parallel lines converging in the distance.
- Texture Gradient: Detail diminishes with distance.
- Interposition (Occlusion): Objects blocking others are perceived as closer.
- Atmospheric Perspective: Distant objects appear hazy or bluish.
- Motion Parallax: Nearby objects appear to move faster than distant ones when we are in motion.
- Shading and Shadows: Light and shadow create the illusion of depth and form.
These monocular cues allow for a sense of depth, but the 3D experience is less precise and immersive than with binocular vision. The brain interprets these visual clues to construct a three-dimensional understanding of the world, but the resulting image is flatter and lacks the stereoscopic depth provided by two eyes.
