What does it mean to see? Is vision simply a matter of light and retina, or does it also carry the weight of history, culture, and creativity? These questions were at the heart of Eye Culture: Art, Ophthalmology, and Neuroscience, a first-of-its-kind interdisciplinary event exploring the intersection of ophthalmology, neuroscience, and art. Brought to life by organizers Brian Young (M3), Grace Necker (M2), Sophia Chen (M2), Eye Culture invited attendees to consider how the eye shapes not only medical practice, but also human experience.
Reflecting on the origins of the program, organizer Sophia Chen shared: “The idea began with Brian Young, who brought Grace Necker and me on board to help turn his vision into reality. As medical students drawn to ophthalmology, we wanted to explore how the field intersects with both neuroscience (how biology shapes perception) and art (how our perception shapes creative expression).”
The program featured an impressive roster of speakers, each offering a distinct lens on vision. Dr. Stephen Russell, an ophthalmology faculty member and retina specialist, highlighted advances in retinal imaging and the clinical frontiers of ophthalmology. Dr. Dorothy Johnson, professor of art history, connected art history and visual culture, illustrating how artists and societies have long grappled with the mysteries of sight. Dr. Justin Sipla, a neuroscientist and clinical instructor of anatomy and cell biology, offered a neuroscientific perspective, revealing the complex pathways by which the brain transforms visual signals into perception. Adding another layer, Michael Edrington, an ophthalmic photographer, reflected on the aesthetics of ophthalmic imaging, demonstrating how clinical photography can transcend its diagnostic role to become striking visual art. Finally, Kait Grimes, a third-year medical student and painter, represented the learner perspective on the panel, voicing how future physicians are shaped by, and contribute to, this evolving dialogue.
The event unfolded as a rich tapestry of activities. A mini-gallery exhibit displayed both ocular photography and curated artworks, blurring the boundary between clinic and canvas. Attendees were invited to participate in an interactive activity examining the aesthetics of normal and diseased retina images, sparking thoughtful debate about beauty, pathology, and perception.
For Chen, the key takeaways were profound: “Our physiology and anatomy shape the way we see the world, and therefore the reality we live in. Because the conscious mind can’t process every detail, we learn to find meaning in even the simplest forms. That’s what makes movements like Impressionism so powerful—artists like Monet could capture the bustle of a street, the outline of a figure, or the fullness of a tree with just a few brushstrokes. Art is inseparable from how we perceive the world and how we choose to capture it.”
By weaving together disciplines often kept apart, Eye Culture created a space where medicine, neuroscience, and the humanities spoke in unison. It was not simply an academic event—it was, in Chen’s words, “a chance for students to engage with both the aesthetics of art and the realities of ocular pathology”—an exploration of how vision defines our shared humanity.
If you're interested about future events like this, please email sophia-chen@uiowa.edu
