FRS 002O — Sec. 001 — (2 units) — CRN 65541 — T 3:10 - 5:30 pm — 263 Olson
Vision: Evolution’s Witness

Instructor: Ivan Schwab, Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine

Description: Did you ever wonder how an owl is able to find its prey at night? Do you suppose the term "eagle eye" is really justified? Do fish see colors? Do you suppose that the term "four eyes" can be applied to any species except humans? Did you wonder how far a jumping spider can really see? What does a fly do with all those images? Did it ever occur to you that diving bird can see under water without goggles and you can't? How, do you suppose, do reptiles with no eyelids clean their eyes? Why don't woodpeckers get retinal detachments or concussions? When snakes shed their skin do they shed their corneas? How old are eyes? What was the first eye? Are you curious about the answers? Students will be expected to learn comparative visual physiology and understand the evolutionary forces that guided these adaptations. Emphasis will be on resource development. With the instructor's direction students will use available resources to generate the questions of comparative visual physiology and anatomy.

Format: We will meet for 2 hours each week for eight weeks. Students will be expected to perform the weekly reading, and to participate in the class discussion. Emphasis will be placed on self discovery and organization. Text will be web based articles. Each student will be expected to choose a species and prepare a oral and written presentation on an aspect of comparative visual physiology or anatomy. Grading: Grades will be based on class participation, and oral and written presentation.

About the Instructor: Dr Schwab is a Professor of Ophthalmology with an interest in comparative ophthalmology. He is the cover editor for the British Journal of Ophthalmology and provides a cover image and essay on vision in other animals for each cover.