Yale Bulletin and Calendar

October 18-25, 1999

Volume 28, Number 9

Children learn about their peripheral vision in the National Eye Institute's traveling exhibit, "VISION," which is now at the Discovery Museum in Bridgeport. The Yale Eye Center is a cosponsor of the exhibit.

The 'amazing' human eye is
the focus of the 'VISION' exhibit

The Yale Eye Center in collaboration with the National Eye Institute (NEI), one of the National Institutes of Health, are sponsors of the "VISION" exhibit, which aims to educate Connecticut residents about new advances in eye care.

The traveling exhibit is now open at Bridgeport's Discovery Museum and will run until Jan. 7. It features interactive displays on how human eyes work and how they can fool us, as well as explanations of the more common causes of visual impairment and advances that are being made to restore and preserve sight.

"This exhibit serves as a reminder of how precious the gift of sight is and showcases how people are working in many ways to preserve it," says Dr. Bruce M. Shields, the Marvin L. Sears Professor and chair of ophthalmology and visual science at the School of Medicine.

The exhibit has been displayed in 20 cities during its tour and is the centerpiece of a nationwide celebration of vision research and the 25th anniversary of the National Eye Institute. The 52 panels in the exhibit highlight two themes: how the eye and the brain work together to create vision, and how researchers are developing novel strategies to protect eyes from disease and developmental disorders.

To illustrate these ideas, the exhibit includes a number of hands-on activities that demonstrate how the eye focuses light, how motion and color are perceived and how the brain processes visual information into a meaningful picture.

"The human eye is one of the body's most amazing organs," says Shields. "This exhibit is great for kids from 8 to 80 or anyone interested in learning more about how we see. It presents complex ideas in very simple terms that are accessible and enjoyable."

The NEI is the federal government's primary agency for vision research. NEI-supported research at Yale University led to tremendous advances during the last 25 years in treating diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, uveitis and retinopathy of prematurity, which can all cause blindness.

Yale's contributions to research and prevention in visual science include Dr. Marvin Sears' development of
Timolol, a pressure-reducing drug that remains a mainstay of glaucoma therapy. Additionally, Dr. William Miller showed that light acts as a hormone on retinal cells, setting off cascades which process vision in the brain.

Yale research has also shown that pathological changes to the optic disc occur before changes in a glaucoma patient's visual field. This finding dramatically highlights the need for careful monitoring of the optic disc in patients at risk for this disease before visual changes occur. Other Yale studies have had great impact on treatment of some congenital visual disorders.

"Many people think of vision research as something they read about occasionally in the newspapers," says Dr. Carl Kupfer, director of the NEI. "But through their tax dollars, Americans actually support the National Eye Institute, the lead federal agency that funds vision research. This exhibit, much like a stockholder's report, highlights some of the sight-saving results of this support."

In addition to learning about their own eyes, visitors to the "VISION" exhibit can enjoy a unique display of artifacts from the NEI, including antique spectacles, vintage eye cups, Army Signal Corps binoculars, and more. A set of 50 glass eyes is on loan from the Casey Eye Institute at the Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland, Oregon.

The exhibit also features "Eyeglasses of the Rich and Famous" a display of eyeglasses worn by such well-known figures as former President George Bush, John Chancellor, and Miss Piggy. This collection is on loan from The Ohio State University College of Optometry.

-- By Karen Peart

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