Museum of Vision Press Releases

Museum's 30th Anniversary

The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's
Museum of Vision Celebrates 30 Years of Preserving Ophthalmic Heritage

Program dedicated to the history of ophthalmology commemorates 30 years with new interactive web site and unique online exhibits

January, 2010 -- San Francisco, CA -- Founded in 1980, the Museum of Vision, an educational program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (FAAO) has worked to preserve and promote ophthalmic heritage. In honor of its 30th anniversary, the award-winning museum has launched a new web site, www.museumofvision.org.

Ophthalmology and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) have played important roles in the history of medicine. The FAAO's Museum of Vision preserves this history and translates it into an educational resource for use by ophthalmologists, medical historians, researchers and the public as they seek to understand ophthalmology's contributions to society and address similar challenges today and in the future. The Museum's new web site connects the past with the present with a host of interactive, state-of-the-art web tools that will make every artifact and exhibit come to life.

The new Museum of Vision web site includes the following features:

Timeline of historical events in ophthalmology
This feature, predominately displayed on the home page, includes links to six separate timelines:   glaucoma, cataract, retina, refraction and refractive surgery, general ophthalmology and one large comprehensive timeline that combine the other five.

Collection & Archives
Use the online search to peruse the entire Museum collection, including the AAO Archive, for a specific topic of interest. This feature includes keyword and date searches, advanced searches on all fields, and a community forum area where users can sign in to leave comments.

Research & Resources
This aspect of the new site contains information for teachers and downloadable curriculum guides. It also houses information on artifact identification, performing historical research, photographic services and information about image rights and reproduction.

Exhibitions
The new Museum web site is now able to feature all of its exhibits, past and present including:
     •Eyes Examined - A look at early American ophthalmology with 19th Century
      case studies

     •Spectacular Spectacles - A review of the history of eye glasses and vision aids
      with examples from the collection.

     •Eyes of War - World War II from the point of view of ophthalmologists who
      participated in different aspects of the war.

     •To Fool the Eye – Insight into some of the false cures and fake medical
      claims that have surrounded American medicine, and

     •Windows to the Soul - An examination of the ancient legends and folklore
      surrounding eyes and sight.

Biographies & Oral Histories
This section is made up of short biographical sketches and links to excerpts from the oral history program. This section also features the Legacy Project, a collaboration to identify families with multiple generations of ophthalmologists.

The Foundation invites individuals to visit www.museumofvision.org for a one-of-a-kind interactive experience.

Note to Editors: High-resolution images and interviews with Museum of Vision spokespeople available upon request.

Media Contact: Allison Neves, Communications Director, Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, 415-561-8518, aneves@aao.org

New Oral History Series

The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology's Museum of Vision Announces New Oral History Series

Museum Partners with Academy Seniors Committee and StoryCorps to Preserve Personal Stories of Ophthalmic Leaders

May 13, 2010 -- San Francisco, CA -- The Museum of Vision is proud to announce the publication of a new oral history series recorded in partnership with the Academy Seniors Committee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and StoryCorps, a national project of Sound Portraits Productions. In conjunction with the Academy's October 2009 Joint Meeting with the Pan American Association of Ophthalmology held in San Francisco, 12 prominent Eye M.D.s were selected to participate in this oral history project, recording a total of six conversations, each lasting approximately 90 minutes. The first two conversations to be published are between Drs. Stanley Truhlsen and Melvin Rubin, and Drs. H. Dunbar Hoskins, Jr. and Alice McPherson.

To listen to excerpts of these conversations and to read complete transcripts, visit www.museumofvision.org/bios and select "Oral Histories" in the left navigation bar.

This oral history series consists of conversations which are wide ranging, from the history of the American Academy of Ophthalmology to the background and training of individual doctors, their struggles, triumphs and thoughts on all aspects of ophthalmology.

Each conversation is archived at the Museum of Vision. The Museum began building its oral history collection in 1987. Collaborating with partners such as the University of California, Berkeley, the museum has previously preserved 32 interviews, eight of which are also available online. "Our current collaboration with the Academy Seniors Committee and StoryCorps has provided the opportunity to add to this unique oral history collection," added Jenny Benjamin, Director, Museum of Vision & Stanley M. Truhlsen, MD, Director of Ophthalmic Heritage.

StoryCorps, is one of the largest oral history projects in America. It records projects like this one and donates a copy to the American Folklife Center of the Library of Congress. Established by Congress in 1928, the American Folklife Center preserves the story of America. It is one of the largest collections of ethnographic material in the world and now through this collaboration it contains the experiences of ophthalmologists as told in their own words. StoryCorps also provides access to conversations like these to National Public Radio which produces a weekly broadcast.

For more information about the Academy Seniors and StoryCorps, please visit their websites:
Academy Seniors Committee: www.aao.org/careers/seniors
StoryCorps: www.storycorps.org

About the Museum of Vision
Founded in 1980, the Museum of Vision, an educational program of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (FAAO) has worked to preserve and promote ophthalmic heritage. In honor of its 30th anniversary, the award-winning museum has launched a new web site, www.museumofvision.org. The Foundation invites individuals to visit the Museum web site for a one-of-a-kind interactive experience.

Note to Editors: High-resolution images and interviews with Museum of Vision spokespeople available upon request.
Media Contact: Allison Neves, Public Relations Director, American Academy of Ophthalmology, 415-447-0385, aneves@aao.org

Teacher Workbooks Free On-line

FREE CURRICULUM CREATED TO HELP EDUCATORS TEACH THE SCIENCE OF VISION
TO CHILDREN AGE 10-14

Teacher Workbooks Available Free Online for Download

July 28, 2010 – San Francisco, CA - For 30 years, the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s Museum of Vision has provided educational material for physicians, teachers and parents interested in teaching children about the eye, vision and ophthalmology. The museum has created an entire curriculum to teach children about the fascinating and spectacular science of vision. The museum’s materials are suitable for ages 10-14, but can be adapted for other age groups. The guides are available for free online at www.museumofvision.org/education.

"I am VERY appreciative of the [educational] materials...I know that they would be very helpful for me in teaching my students about the eye and its wonders." -Scott A. Blanchard, Biscotti Educational Center, Macomb MI

The free teacher workbooks created by the museum focus on the human eye, the differences between human and animal vision, perspective and how the brain processes images like optical illusions and 3D. The guides are filled with discussion points and fun interactive activities.

• Eye Openers: Exploring Optical Illusions is designed to help educators teach basic concepts of vision including binocular vision, persistence of vision, and eye-brain connection. It includes activities for youngsters and provides appropriate handouts. Suitable for audiences ages 11 and up.

• Animal Eyes® describes the basic concepts of vision and explores the amazing eyes of the animal kingdom. The booklet teaches about the human visual system, how human eyes differ from animal eyes, seeing in the dark, and color vision.

• Art and Vision: Seeing in 3D® describes the concepts of vision and special visual techniques that help to create the illusion of depth. It includes sections on size scaling, overlapping, atmospheric perspective, and linear perspective.

How to get the curriculum guides
Those interested can download the free PDF version of the guides online by visiting www.museumofvision.org/education. Once there, click on the link “Read More” found under any of the three booklets. A new page will open with the appropriate booklet information. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find a free downloadable version of the booklet.

About the Museum of Vision
The Museum of Vision is an educational program of The Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. It is the only institution in the United States whose sole purpose is to preserve the history of ophthalmology and celebrate its unique contributions to science and health. The Museum of Vision is dedicated to preserving ophthalmic history and translating it into an educational resource for use by Academy members, medical historians, researchers and the public as they seek to understand ophthalmology's contributions to society and address similar challenges today and in the future. For more information on the Museum of Vision, visit: www.museumofvision.org

NOTE to Media: High-resolution images are available upon request.
Media contact: Allison Neves, Director of Public Relations – 415-447-0385, aneves@aao.org