Keratoconus

Keratoconus (also known as “conical cornea”) is a degenerative disease of the eyes that manifests itself as a gradual degradation of the cornea into a more conical form than the typical eyeball.

This condition can cause extreme nighttime vision distortion, sensitivity to light, itching, “ghost” images and some distortion of daytime vision. The etiology of this condition is not fully understood, though it’s known that proteases break down many of the keratin bonds in Bowman’s layer of the cornea, causing a relaxation of the tissues.

In most patients with keratocornea, the degradation will “settle” at a degree that can be corrected by glasses. In 25% of patients, however, corneal transplant may be called for, in order to allow nighttime vision and increased sight during the day.

Diseases of the Eye: Number One. Moorfields Manchester Institute of Ophthalmology, The Medical Illustration Department, pre-1950.

Things I did not know could become dislocated: Eyeballs.

From the Ball Ophthalmology Collection at the National Museum of Health and Medicine. 1898.

sutured-infection:

McHardy’s Perimeter (used to test peripheral vision), from M. Stephen Mayou’s Diseases of the Eye, 1908

I hope I haven’t posted this before, but I just love old scientific/medical instruments. You can see two variations on this sort of tool over at my photostream, but this is my favorite one.

“Engorgement hypertrophique et induration des follicules ciliaires”

The ulceration caused by the hypertrophied swelling was cured by powder application, and the edema was drained. No radical surgery required. Several weeks recovery time.

Iconographie Ophthalmologique. J. Sichel, 1858.

Exophthalamos of the left eye due to voluminous orbital cancer

Partial atrophy of the ocular muscles, partial sight still present in left eye. Right eye still functional. Cancer originated from superior levator muscle and grew back into other muscular tissues of the orbit. 

This kind of cancer is much more common in adults than in children, who tend to get retinoblastomas (in the ocular nerve) more than anything.

Iconographie Ophthalmologique. J. Sichel, 1858.

“Say doc, I do fear for my eyesight. The longer my eyes remain in such proximity to that most detestable halitosis, the worse it gets!”

Diseases of the Eye: A Handbook of Ophthalmic Practice for Students and Practitioners. George de Schweinitz, 1917.

Tumor of the left optical orbit.

Highly vascularized tumor of the orbit originating from the inferior temporal bone, attaching to globe of eyeball, growing into lateral sinus, and applying extreme pressure to regional cartilage. Tumor and eye mass was removed successfully, relieving pain caused by growth. High blood loss from surgery, but nothing life-threatening. No vision loss in right eye.

Fig 1. Tumor in situ.

Fig 2. Tumor removed from head.

Fig 3. Cross-section of tumor.

Iconographie Ophthalmologique ou Description, avec Figures Coloriees, des Maladies de l’Organe de la Vue, comprenant l’Anatomie Pathologique, la Pathologie, et la Therapeutique Medico-Chiurgicals. J. Sichel, 1859.

Things I did not know could become dislocated: Eyeballs.

From the Ball Ophthalmology Collection at the National Museum of Health and Medicine. 1898.

Non-pathological eyeball anatomy.

Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat: A Manual for Students and Practitioners. A.G. Wippern, 1900.

“Morbi corneae et sclereticae.”

Ball Ophthalmology Collection at the National Museum of Medicine

“Fungus oculi”

From James Moores Bell ophthalmology collection at the National Museum of Medicine.