Witelo—Polish vision scientist of the middle ages: father of physiological optics

Abstract

Unknown to the Western hemisphere, a Polish scientist, naturalist, anatomist, physiologist, philosopher and optician, Witelo, wrote an important ten volume manuscript, Peri-Optikes, usually cited in the literature as Perspectiva. This classic textbook was first published in 1535 in Nuremberg under the title: Vitellionis mathematici doctissimi … vulgo Perspectivam vocant libri X, which is translated to English as Perspectiva. It was a vital source of information for such scientists as Leonardo da Vinci, Keppler and others in the next few centuries. Although many of his ideas were similar to Alhazan's, who earlier had written a significant optical manuscript De aspectibus, Witelo developed his own interpretation of many optical issues. He was one of the first scientists to discover spherical aberration of concave lenses and concave mirrors. He was also first to point out “that deflection of the light ray increases with the angle in which they approach two different optical substances and each increase is smaller than the previous one.” Until recently, Witelo's achievements and contributions to the understanding of optical and anatomical aspects of the eye and visual function have remained unknown in western literature. Undoubtedly, Witelo should be recognized as the father of physiological optics.