The 2014 Gordon Conference on Visual System Development will bring together scientists studying the development, maintenance, evolution, and diseases of the visual system, from diverse species and experimental model systems. The goal of this conference is to share and discuss mechanistic insights of common principles that regulate visual system development across the phyla. Emphasis is placed on exchange of the latest and most exciting results and cutting-edge technologies, to stimulate new ideas and collaborations that will impact our understanding of visual development and disease. This meeting will also highlight the fundamentals of regeneration, stem cell biology, neural degeneration and other ocular pathologies, to stimulate innovative efforts to combat human blindness. Poster sessions will allow for informal exchange of ideas and continued discussion. A number of poster abstracts will be selected for short talks, ensuring participation of junior investigators and presentation of late-breaking stories. This meeting, along with the associated student/post-doc Gordon Research Seminar pre-meeting, will foster interactions among students, early-career investigators and more established scientists, supporting stimulating discussions and interactions across diverse disciplines within the field of vision.