OBSERVATIONS ON CATARACT. 129 
OBSERVATIONS ON CATARACT: 
“A METHOD NOT GENERALLY KNOWN BY WHICH 
OBSTACEES, TO DISTINCGE VISION SITUATE* WITHIN 
ONE’S OWN EYES MAY BE OBSERVED ;” 
BY 
E. J. BENNETT. 
Communicated by HreNry TRYON. 
(Read on rath October, 1887.) 
(PLATES V. anp VI.) 
AN oculist is able, by the application of his knowledge and skill, 
to detect the existence of Cataract, and so also is the patient, as 
far as failing or loss of sight will afford the information ; but I am 
not aware that hitherto the means of seeing or representing the 
actual Cataract has been attained by the patient. I myself 
suffer from Cataract, and, in consultation with an oculist, have 
learnt the general form which the opacity assumes in one eye, and 
have at the same time been led to conclude that viewing any 
object through a small circular perforation may enable me to see 
this object more distinctly. I have experimented accordingly. 
One, the size of an ordinary pin’s head, did not yield the desired 
result, and so I was led to reduce the size of this perforation until 
I had arrived at one not larger than would admit the point of a 
fine needle. Experimenting with these different-sized holes, I 
have found that, when looking through one of the size of an 
ordinary pin, I have noticed the presence of some obstruction to 
the ingress of light into my eyes, and when the perforation was 
a little smalier this obstruction became defined, and I was able to 
sketch the form. ‘This I did for both my eyes. On submitting 
the pictures thus procured to the oculist, I was informed that 
I had obtained representations of the appearance of the actual 
Cataract. I have since experimented with the smaller sized per- 
forations and with the smallest mentioned I have found that I 
obtain a much more elaborate representation. Parts of the original 
picture which appear of the most indistinct filmy character were 
then brought out in sharp well defined outline, and the clear parts 
of the picture were no. longer clear, but spotted over with apparent 
nuclei, from which the thread and films of the Cataract were 
I 
