Da Vinci may have had eye disorder that helped him paint

LONDON — A new study suggests Leonardo da Vinci may have had an eye disorder that helped him paint.

According to Science News, visual neuroscientist Christopher Tyler of the City University of London looked at six pieces of art thought to be modeled after da Vinci, and published the results on October 18 in Jama Ophthalmology.
According to the Washington Post, Tyler looked at two sculptures, two oil paintings and two drawings and conducted mathematical analyses to conclude that da Vinci had "an exotropic tendency of approximately -10.3 degrees when relaxed.
Five of the works show an eye misalignment consistent with the eye disorder exotropia that can affect three-dimensional vision. This led Tyler to believe that da Vinci may have had intermittent exotropia.
Exotropia is a type of strabismus where one eye turns slightly outward and can be treated with special glasses, eye patches or surgery.
If da Vinci was able to control his exotropia, Tyler believes it may have given the painter an artistic advantage by allowing him to switch back and forth from seeing in three dimensions and two dimensions.