HHH Column: A Glimpse into the 1929 Amsterdam International Ophthalmology Congress by Elif Bengüsu Arık
The HHH column is a monthly blog in which History, Health & Healing members share their thoughts on research, current affairs, or anything to do with medical history. Each edition is written by a different member — in due time, we hope to offer everybody a chance to publish a contribution. This month, the floor is for Elif Bengüsu Arık, an independent historian specialising in the history of medicine and immigration and starting a PhD on the intersection of the history of medicine, migration, and the sensory studies in the Ottoman context at the European University Institute in September 2025. In this column she invites us into the world of the 1929 Ophthalmology Congress held in Amsterdam.
A Glimpse into the 1929 Amsterdam International Ophthalmology Congress[1]
By Elif Bengüsu Arık
Thirty years after the ninth international ophthalmology congress was held in Utrecht in 1899, the 13th congress took place in Amsterdam from September 5 to 13, 1929. This was the first ophthalmology congress to take place in Europe since the disruption caused by the First World War. In 1927, a preparatory conference in Scheveningen, attended by delegates from forty countries, set the stage for resuming the international congresses and re-establishing the global connections that had been interrupted by the war.[2] The first of these congresses had been organized in Brussels in 1857, marking the beginning of a series of global gatherings aimed at transforming the field of ophthalmology.
The goal of the 13th Congress was to address several key issues affecting the future of ophthalmology, from changes in visual acuity measurement to the transforming roles of ophthalmologists in public health. This gathering was not only an opportunity to share knowledge and refine practices but also a crucial moment to reflect on the role of ophthalmology within broader societal changes. To prepare for the discussions at the 13th congress, three committees were appointed. The first committee would focus on visual acuity and the standardization of vision assessment. The second would address ophthalmologic examination requirements for drivers, aviators, sailors and railway personnel. The third committee would investigate the training needs of ophthalmologists.[3]
Two years after the preparatory Scheveningen conference, the 13th International Ophthalmology Congress was officially opened by the Queen of the Netherlands on Thursday, September 5, in the grand auditorium of the Colonial Institute in Amsterdam.
In addition to its busy agenda, one of the main highlights of the congress was an exhibition that showcased the latest advancements in the optical industry and ophthalmic instruments. Described as astonishing in its diversity, the exhibition served as a testament to the refined technical craftsmanship behind the instruments designed to address a wide range of eye diseases, disorders, abnormalities, and injuries.[6] Key industry representatives[7] were present at the exhibition.
Alongside the leading companies of the optical and ophthalmic industry, the congress also featured a unique exhibition dedicated to the historical, medical, and cultural significance of spectacles. This exhibit traced the evolution of eyewear, highlighting not only its role in vision correction but also its broader medical applications over time. Due to its overwhelming popularity, the exhibition remained open longer than originally planned.[9]
Beyond the congress sessions and exhibition halls, participants had the opportunity to engage in a range of activities, including boat trips around the city, tea receptions, museum visits, and group excursions to Marken, Enkhuizen, and Hoorn. For those attending with their families, the congress organized a special program for women. One day’s itinerary included a visit to Muiderslot, tea at Hotel Bredius, a motor car trip to Loosdrecht, and tea at the Loosdrecht Sailing Club. On another day, a visit to the diamond-cutting establishments of the Asscher Brothers, followed by a tour of the Colonial Institute Museum.[10]
On Monday, September 9, the Colonial Institute hosted a session on the geographical spread of trachoma, an infectious eye disease. The reports on trachoma sparked long and lively debates in both plenary sessions and various departments, where it was argued that the disease affected different groups to varying degrees. Contemporary newspaper coverage of the congress reflected and reinforced the racialized and classified framing of disease, stating: “The Arab peasant also lacks the most primitive concepts of hygiene, lives in a windowless room, lacks water, suffers from terrible mosquito epidemics in summer, and is superstitious. What is true for the Arab peasant is true in different proportions for the Russian peasant, the poor people of Japan, Korea, China, the Indians.”[11] While race and class-based definitions of trachoma continued to generate controversy, the 1929 congress emphasized the need for a dedicated initiative focused specifically on the disease. The session underscored the urgent necessity of a coordinated global response to tackle both its spread and the suffering it inflicted. While the causative agent of trachoma had yet to be discovered, infectious diseases and their microbial nature remained a key topic throughout the congress. This was followed by the screening at the Colonial Institute of the 1924 film Antoni van Leeuwenhoek (1632–1723), directed by Cornelis Mol.[12] The film, about the pioneering microbiologist Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, recreated his observations using original 17th-century lenses, offering an intriguing exploration of scientific discovery.
On September 11, participants of the congress were divided into four groups to visit the major Dutch cities of Haarlem, Leiden, Delft, and Rotterdam. In Haarlem, the tour began at the Frans Hals Museum, followed by the Teylers Museum, known for its rich exhibitions in art, science, and natural history. The group visiting Leiden began their itinerary at the newly built Academisch Ziekenhuis, where a special tour of the ophthalmology clinic was arranged. They continued to the University building, walked through the Academisch Hortus (the university’s botanical garden), explored various optical instruments at the Sterrenwacht (observatory), and concluded the visit at Museum De Lakenhal.[13] In Rotterdam, approximately 150 participants explored the city despite restrictions posed by the alastrim epidemic, which affected attendance. A planned visit to the Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij NV (RDM) shipyard was canceled following a tragic explosion on the British tanker Vimeira, which claimed 11 lives. Instead, attendees were hosted for dinner at the Rotterdamsche Diergaarde (zoo), with some participants noting their motivation to visit Rotterdam stemmed from the opportunity “to see the sailors”—a detail that underlines the congress’s concerns with the ocular requirements of transportation and maritime personnel.[13]
Meanwhile, in Delft, over two hundred doctors and their spouses were welcomed at the Technische Hogeschool. During a visit to the De Porceleyne Fles porcelain factory, each guest received a white-and-blue pottery badge, designed to echo the motto engraved on the congress medal. Crafted by artist Chris van der Hoef, the medal featured a reproduction of the owl from Jan Steen’s Het dronken paar alongside the Dutch proverb, “Wat baet toch kaers en bril. Als de uil niet zien en wil” (“What good are candles and glasses if the owl does not want to see?”). Due to technical constraints, however, the saying was included only on the medal itself.[14]
The proverb served as a fitting metaphor for the congress’s broader aims. It underscored not only the growing professional identity of ophthalmology but also the field’s transforming role in shaping public health agendas: tracing the geography of infectious diseases, establishing standardized vision testing protocols, promoting professional education, and encouraging international collaboration.
In the evening, the tour groups gathered at Scheveningen for a speech by Jan Terpstra, the Minister of Education, Culture, and Science of the Netherlands. He began by emphasizing the eye as the noblest of human organs, a truth celebrated by poets and philosophers alike. The President of the Congress urged members to recognize the significance of their work in protecting such a vital organ. He also emphasized the importance of science as a unified field that thrives on collaboration, organization, and personal contact. In his closing remarks, the President noted the role of scientists in promoting global unity, particularly in the post-war era, and called for continued collaboration and progress for the good of all.[15]
The 1929 congress was not only the first ophthalmology congress held in post-war Europe but also a platform for fostering new collaborations aimed at maintaining communication among ophthalmologists and strengthening ties with the ophthalmic and optical industries. These initiatives extended beyond discussions in the congress halls to excursions aligned with its main agenda. A significant example is the establishment of the International Association for the Prevention of Blindness at the conclusion of the Congress. While it was presented as an initiative independent of the Congress, it was undeniably connected to the discussions held at the Colonial Institute on September 9. After the congress ended, on September 14, all ophthalmologists were invited to participate in discussions on the founding of the association. Ultimately, the 1929 congress fulfilled its motto by bringing together representatives from across the world, underscoring the need for a coordinated global effort in ocular health. Through these efforts, the congress not only advanced scientific knowledge but also set the stage for international partnerships that continue to influence ophthalmology today.
[1] I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Omediya Metin for her generous help with the Dutch-English translation of the passages I have shared with her for this article.
[2] Prof. dr. H. J. M. Weve, “Het Internationaal Congres voor Oogheelkunde,” De Locomotief, September 28, 1929, 21.
[3] “XII. Concilium Ophtalmologicum,” Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, September 14, 1929, 5.
[4] “Internationaal Oogheelkundig Congres,” De Avondpost, July 15, 1927, 9.
[5] “Het Internationaal Oogheelkundig,” De Amstelbode, September 7, 1929, 8.
[6] “Wetenschappen. Het Internationaal Oogheelkundig Congres,” De Tijd: Godsdienstig-Staatkundig Dagblad, September 10, 1929, 8.
[7] Including Windler, Walb, Fischer, Muller, Wurach, Emil Busch, the Association of Dispensing Opticians, Zeiss, Laboratorios Del Norte de España, Dugast, Chauvin, Société des Lunetiers, Guilbert, Wülfing-Lüer, Pulzer, Unilux, Sydow, Nitsche & Günther, The Denver Chemical, Haag-Streit, Tamson, Centen’s Wetenschappelijke Boekhandel, Menno Hertzberger, Prof. Dr. Benninghoven, and Deshell Laboratories.
[8] Ibid., 61.
[9] “Het dertiende Oogheelkundig Congres,” Het Vaderland: Staat- en Letterkundig Nieuwsblad, September 11, 1929, 13.
[10] XII. Concilium Ophtalmologicum: Internationaal Congres voor Oogheelkunde Amsterdam-Den Haag 1929, Congress’ Bulletin, September 9, 1929 (Koloniaal Instituut Amsterdam) https://hdl.handle.net/10622/C42C7FD7-F602-4E7F-9023-459B01AA3050.
[11] “Discussies over trachom”, Utrechtsch Provinciaal en Stedelijk Dagblad, September 11, 1929, 3)
[12] XII. Concilium Ophtalmologicum: Internationaal Congres voor Oogheelkunde Amsterdam-Den Haag 1929, Congress’ Bulletin, September 9, 1929 (Koloniaal Instituut Amsterdam), https://hdl.handle.net/10622/C42C7FD7-F602-4E7F-9023-459B01AA3050.
[13] “XII. Concilium Ophtalmologicum,” Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, September 14, 1929, 5.
[14] “De Oogheelkundigen te Delft,” Delftsche Courant, September 12, 1929, 1.
[15] Ibid., 1.