Researchers suggest that the 17th-century Dutch master Rembrandt may have suffered from a vision condition that contributed to his success. After analyzing 36 of Rembrandt's self-portraits, experts concluded that the great painter suffered from strabismus—a condition involving the misalignment of one eye so that it points in an outward direction—, more commonly known as wall-eye.

Remembrandt's paintings exhibit skill in using light to carry perspective. A misalignment of his eyes would have left the painter with no depth perception, giving him "an advantage in the task of translating three-dimensional scenes into two-dimensional paintings."

Harvard Medical School neurobiologist Margaret Livingstone observed, "It illustrates that disabilities are not always disabilities. They may be assets in another realm."