Book shows life through the eyes of macular-degeneration sufferer

Artist Lee Allen holds a copy of his book, The Hole in My Vision, while seated in front of a 1929 self-portrait at his Iowa City home. Press-Citizen/Scott Norris

By Kathryn A. Ratliff
Iowa City Press-Citizen

Allen, 89, a former ophthalmic illustrator and associate in the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology for more than 60 years, worked on The Hole in My Vision: An Artist's View of His Own Macular Degeneration for more than a decade.

Published in May, the 120-page book is designed to help patients, families, ophthalmologists and other eye-care professionals better understand the disease.

Allen said he originally began the book for publication in a medical journal in hopes that it would assist doctors in their understanding.

After drawing illustrations of the eye for years, Allen developed the first signs of macular degeneration when he was 78. He then could see for himself the effects of the disease.

"I could see within my own eyes what was happening," Allen said. "I realized what I had, so I began to do drawings as it progressed."

Allen first noticed his condition in 1988. He said he woke up one morning and stared at the ceiling, blinking with his right eye and closing the left.

He saw a pattern of spots. Although the pattern was inside his eye, it appeared as if it was projected on the ceiling. He drew pictures of the images that same morning.

When Allen started developing macular degeneration, he could see where the defects in his retina were located, an ability called entoptic phenomena. He saw images of his retina as though it was outside his eye. He painted the images before doctors could see where the damage was inside his eyes.

Doctors diagnosed his condition in 1994.

The book contains pictures comparing what doctors could see on film to Allen's drawings and observations. The evolution of pictures shows how his vision changed over time and after laser surgery.

Dr. Thomas Weingeist, UI professor and head of ophthalmology and visual sciences and executive director of the Center for Macular Degeneration, wrote the book's preface.

"I've thought of him in some ways as the Thomas Edison of photography and illustration," he said. "He's a very innovative person who had comparatively little education and made some very important observations.

"What I hope the book does is make people recognize that this is a very prevalent and common condition and it is going to be even more common as our population is aging."

Allen was a University of Iowa student until the Great Depression, when he was unable to complete his college education.

Grant Wood, creator of American Gothic, was in Iowa City at the time and recognized Allen's artistic gift. Wood helped him find work, including large mural projects.

Allen eventually became an ophthalmic illustrator at UI, learning as much as he could about the eye and drawing detailed pictures of eye structures before such photography was possible.

He has written scientific papers with physicians, studied photography and discovered another extension for his artistic ability - making artificial eyes as an ocularist.

He started a studio for this at UI and moved to Coralville, where the Eye Prosthetics clinic remains in business today.

Proceeds from the book will provide support to the UI Center for Macular Degeneration, dedicated to curing Age-related Macular Degeneration by altering its onset and reducing the risk of blindness. The disease causes the degeneration of the macula, where central vision is located.

The UI Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and the UI Center for Macular Degeneration commissioned the book to celebrate the department's 75th anniversary.

Besides illustrations, the book includes information about Age-related Macular Degeneration and comments from Allen's physicians and colleagues.

Thursday through Saturday, doctors from across the country will convene in Iowa City for the Iowa Eye Association's annual alumni meeting. Allen's book will be presented at the convention and he will conduct a book signing. A public book signing at Prairie Lights is in the works.

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