To determine the control strategy used to mediate disparity vergence e
ye movements, an optical technique was employed which eliminated the v
isual feedback normally associated with a vergence movement. The resul
ting ''open-loop'' vergence responses from four subjects exhibited mul
tiple step-like movements. This finding augments previous demonstratio
ns of multiple-step tracking strategies in vergence eye movements and
supports the theory that the initial portion of the vergence response
is under preprogrammed control. Additional evidence for preprogramming
is given by the similarity of the initial dynamics between open- and
closed-loop responses as evidenced by similar ratios of peak velocity
to amplitude (i.e. ''main sequence'' plots).