Established in 1928, the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine is recognized as a leader in the Visual Sciences. The Department has established a tradition of excellence in academic medicine and research that stems from the early years of the 20th century and continues to guide us in the 21st. The Department's Eye Center is a referral and consultation facility that provides outstanding ophthalmic care to its patients. Our faculty are among the finest in the country and many conduct internationally-recognized research into the causes and prevention of eye diseases.