Evolution of the Eye

Abstract

'The eyes are the window to the soul.’ A philosophical saying reflecting the emotional
expression such a small, yet complex organ is capable of. The evolution of the eye has been
greatly debated among scientists for centuries, with the eye infamously being used against
Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Darwin himself confessed within ‘On
the Origin of Species’ (1859) that it was ‘absurd’ to claim the eye has evolved via natural
selection. ‘With all its inimitable contrivances for adjusting the focus to different distances, for
admitting different amounts of light, and for the correction of spherical and chromatic aberration,’

Darwin found it difficult to explain the evolution of such a complex and nuanced organ. The eye
serves as the single sensory organ responsible for the detection of light, and ultimately allows
us to see. The complex anatomy of the eye, paired with its interactions with the brain to
translate electrical signals into images, makes the evolution of the eyes over millenniums,
fascinating.