An essay on the malformations and congenital diseases of the organs of sight / by W. R. Wilde.

  • Wilde, W. R. (William Robert), 1815-1876.
Date:
1862
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An essay on the malformations and congenital diseases of the organs of sight / by W. R. Wilde. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by UCL Library Services. The original may be consulted at UCL (University College London)

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    diseased subsequently ; nor, as already stated, have I ever seen a congenital opacity of the lens spread or increase in after-life; and in this respect the congenital differs f:'om all other forms of cata- ract, either lenticular or capsular, except that which is the result of ophthalmia neonatorum.'^ There are, in many cases, cogent reasons for operating early, such as nystagmus, and total de- fect of vision, &c.; but the danger of thickening, and opacity of the capsule, does not, so far as I have seen, come under this category. Capsular Cataract.—I have never seen the capsule so com- pletely opaque at birth, as to obscure the view of the lens beyond; neither have I ever seen, through a transparent lens, an opacity on the posterior capsule. The most frequent form of this disease is a small white speck in the middle of the an- terior capsule, and generally known as Cataracta Cefitralis. As already stated, it may exist in two forms, with or without lenticular opacity. When seen alone, it is often but uhe size of the smallest pin's-head; and when congenital, and not the result of infantile ophthalmia, it almost invariably presents a very regular circular form, with a sharp, well-defined edge. The spot is always of a dull flake-white, but is occasionally surrounded with a greyish-white border, evidently of thinner material. This annulus is often so very narrow, as only to be observed with a good glass.'' When the disease is the result of ophthalmia, this nebular ring is not seen, and the edge of the opacity is generally irregular. Many years ago, I observed that several of these central cataracts were nail-shaped, the a I think it possible that the greyish-white nucleated cataract might, in after-life become both yellowish in colour and hard in substance, although I have no authority for so stating. Besides those cases related at page 65, the only instance presenting such an appearance I ever saw was in Thomas Cartmill, aged 36, where the substance of the opacity was a straw-coluured yellow, with a whitish annulus, and a chalky-Avhite central nucleus; yet it is possible that these may have been the appearances at birth. ^ By far the best glass I have ever used is the little compound instrument made by Hawes, of Leadenhall-street, London.