The record-union., 1894-05-31
SEARCH LIGHT FOR WEAK EYES

The Ophthalmometer Throws Beam
of Electric Light Into the Eye.
| One of the most remarkable inventions
which has lately come into practical ust
in the hospitals of New York is the
ophthalmometer. It is used for examin.
ing the eye when it is in a state of disease
and 1t illustrates how accurately modern
science has come to deal with the all.
| ments to which the flesh is apt 10 fall
heir.
The invention of this new instrument
was found to be a necessity. 1t is an ac-
knowledged fact among specialists in
diseases OF the eye that poor eyesight is Oh
all alarming increase in the United States
especially among children. The number
OF school-children who wear eyeglasses
continually in New York City alone, and
especially in Boston. is double or treble
what 1t was several years ago. The very
large increase of work which this has
| occasioned for the doctors in the eye hos
pltals rendered it extremely difficult Tor
them TO carry on their examinations as
! they had heretofore done.
The old method OF eXamlng the eye
was to station the patient at some dis
tance from chart on which were printed
letters OF various sizes. Ii the person
under examination was perfectly clear
minded, more or less accurate result
WAS oDtained; but in the case of child
or person dull of comprehension the re-
suit was not generally SO good.
The opthalmometer does away with all
this uncertainty. and by its use the veri-
est tyro fresh from the medical college
can make the most accurate diagnosis. 1t
is the invention OF Professors laval and
Schlotz OF Paris. and was introduced into
the hospitals of New York by DR.. ID. b.
st. John Roosa OF this city.
1t is a combination of telescope and a
large painted disk, on which is projected
an intense electric light. In front Of the
disk is a small wooden mask-like frame
in which the patient places his face. On
the disk are series Of divisions.
The doctor looks through the telescope
at the patients eye. The effect of the in
tense light is to cause the numbers and
divisions on the disk to be reflected and
to show out clearly on the cornea or rear
wall Of the patients eye. Connected with
the disk is sliding arrangement by
means of which any desired point on the
disk may be located, so that in case OF
astigmatism. for instance, it is only nec-
essary for the physician, after locating
the source Of the trouble, to make record
ofits exact location on the disk. Since
the reflection on the eye corresponds ex-
actly with the disk itself, he has no
trouble in doing so.
OF Ofcourse, the different markings are
meant to show the different degrees of
affliction, and after the record is made
it is the easiest thing in the world for the
doctor to prescribe the proper pair OF
glasses to be worn. And the best part Of
it all is that this point is established be-
yond doubt. People need have no fear
hereafter OF making a mistake in the Sc
lection OF their eyeglasses, for that selec-
ton is made according TO an absolute
rule, and not. as in the old method, ac-
cording to their sensations merely
Having the eyes examined by electric
ity, which is really what it amounts to
by this method, is as yet something of a
novelty, even among physicians. Some
years ago the celebrated DR.. Helmholz
devised an instrument much after the
fashion Of this one, but it was too COM