The first published irid analysis can be credited to the physician Philippus Meyens, who, in 1670 wrote a book explaining the features of the irid called Chromatica Medica. in which he stated that the eye contained valuable information about the body.

The founder of modern Iridology was Dr. Ignatz Von Peczley , a Hungarian physician known as "The Father of Iridology" In 1881 he published a book "Discoveries in the Field of Natural Science and Medicine, a guide to the study and diagnosis from the eye." It was in this book that Von Peczely built up the first accurate chart of the irid.

When he was a child, he was attempting to release a trapped Owl when the bird broke it's leg. He observed a dark mark in the Owl's irid, which gradually turned white as the leg healed. As a doctor he mapped his patients illnesses via markings in the irid. His chart was published in 1880.

Peczely became a great physician of his time. He published several books on Iridology, but was limited in his observations of the irid, because of the quality of the optical equipment available to him. Now sophisticated cameras and microscopes exist, with powerful magnifying capabilities.

In 1950 an American , Dr. Bernard Jensen pioneered the science of iridology in the US. He developed one of the most comprehensive irid charts showing the location of the organs as they reflect in the irid's of the eye. His chart is still the most accurate one available today.