Black Holes and Bright Ideas

In 2007, Damien Gatinel had a conversation with astronomer Jean-Pierre Rivet about astronomy principles and how they relate to ophthalmology (1). Though a connection between the two disciplines may not be immediately apparent to some, there are similarities. In particular, technologies borne from astronomy have influenced the development of tools and techniques that have had a game-changing impact on the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases. Rapid advances have occurred since that conversation more than a decade ago, so we felt that it was an ideal time to re-examine the links – and emphasize ways in which one discipline can learn from the other to drive change and innovation.