Re: Heindl et al.: The eyes of Oetzi: the Tyrolean iceman mummy (Ophthalmology. 2019;126:530)

To the editor:We read the Pictures & Perspectives by Heindl et al1 regarding the eyes of Oetzi, the celebrated Tyrolean Iceman dating back to the 4th millennium bce. Building on previous studies, the authors mention a “unique view” onto this ancient corpse’s anatomy, thanks to the “natural mummification in the glacier ice,”1 which has allowed many important discoveries, including the determination of this prehistoric individual’s violent cause of death. Specifically, addressing the issue of the preservation of ocular structures,2, 3 it is interesting to examine the actual role played by environmental and climate conditions as opposed to purely anatomic characteristics of the tissues themselves.