Diseases of the eye : a practical treatise for students of ophthalmology.

  • Berry, George Andreas, 1853-
Date:
1889
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Diseases of the eye : a practical treatise for students of ophthalmology. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by University of Bristol Library. The original may be consulted at University of Bristol Library.

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    the lachrymal sac. The inflammation, which is often termed tinea tarsi, or ophthalmia tarsi, is an eczema of the margin of the lid. It begins with hypersemia and increase of the secretions. When this is not attended to, the secretion becomes fibrinous and glutinous, and seals the eyelashes together, forming crusts or scales, under which a process of ulceration, leading to destruc- tion of their follicles, takes place.—(See Fig. 1.) The affection is met with in very different degrees of severity, from what is merely a tendency to slight scaliness of the lid margin, to the Fig. 1.—Blepharitis. formation of marked pustules, the irritation of which causes considerable oedema and inflammatory swelling of the lid. It is very chronic, many cases seen in hospital practice having existed for months and years before any advice is sought. When not treated in time, it leads when severe to complete destruction of the eyelashes. Occasionally some which may have escaped are found, after healing has taken place, to be misdirected, owing to cicatricial contraction round their follicles. The treatment of blepharitis consists in first removing the scales or scabs, and then applying to the raw surface the yellow ointment of Pagenstecher (8 grs. to 7>i. of yellow oxide of mercury, §i. of lanoline or spermaceti ointment, mixed with a few drops of olive oil). This ointment should be applied at least twice a day, morning and evening, and is greatly superior to any other preparation of mercury, either the red oxide or the mitigated nitrate. The scabs may be removed with a piece of quill. ''tIus