Throughout the ages, man has sought to discover the nature of eyesight and the sources of eye disease.  For many centuries the answers to these questions lay not in anatomy or biology, but in the realm of ritual and religious practice.  A popular English proverb declares that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  This common saying is just one illustration of how sight has long been associated with legends, amulets, and talismans used to fortify a person’s spiritual and physical well-being. 

The eye is a powerful symbol in both ancient and modern civilizations.  From the basic concept of the evil eye to the depiction of the Eye of Providence on the American dollar bill, imagery and legends concerning eyes span time and cultures.  Superstition regarding eyes and sight has lead to ritual and, in some cultures, crossed over into medical practice.