The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Diagnostic Imaging Services earned several awards at the 2025 Ophthalmic Photographers’ Society (OPS) Scientific Exhibit competition, sponsored by the OPS and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
The Iowa team’s award-winning submissions reflect their members’ skill, creativity, and commitment to advancing the art and science of medical photography.
This image, produced by ophthalmic photographer Dana Zach, a certified retinal angiographer, depicts probable neurosarcoidosis, which is inflammation of the central nervous system that can lead to severe vision loss and other health problems affecting the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Shown here are abnormal tortuous vessels, which can be caused by sarcoidosis or other conditions. The optic disc edema (the bright circular center) appears swollen, which also can be a factor in a sarcoidosis diagnosis.
Zach’s image received first-place honors in the fundus photography, 30-40°.
In ophthalmology, the fundus is the inner back lining of the eye. It is photographed with specially designed cameras through a patient’s dilated pupil. The painless procedure produces a sharp view of the retina, the retinal vasculature, and the optic nerve head (optic disc) from which the retinal vessels enter the eye. These vessels form an arc around the macula, which produces the central 20 degrees of vision. At the center of the macula lies the fovea, which is responsible for most central reading vision. Color fundus photography is used to record the condition of these structures in order to document the presence of disorders and monitor their change over time.
Photo permission granted by the University of Iowa Department of Ophthalmology. Photographer: Dana Zach, CRA.
