WORM [N THE EYE. 345 



pressure. The direction of the puncture should be more or less 

 parallel to the iris, so as to avoid wounding that structure; and 

 close to where the cornea joins the white of the eye, and on the 

 outer or inner upper margin, as may be most convenient. To 

 facilitate the escape of the aqueous humour, the knife should be 

 allowed to remain in the eye,, as long as the fluid continues to 

 flow, and very slight pressure may be made with the finger on 

 the cornea, if necessary. When the wound is thus made obliquely 

 to the surface of the cornea, its edge will imite more readily 

 than if the puncture was made at right angles — ^to say nothing 

 about the danger to the iris. Our object, in making the opening 

 Ijigh up, is to have the subsequent scar covered by the upper 

 eyelid, so that it will be neither visible under ordinary circum- 

 stances, nor liable to interfere with the rays of light which may 

 enter the pupil. Besides, the higher it is, the less will be the 

 danger of too great an escape of fluid. A " transfixion forceps," 

 which has two fine points for insertion into the surface of the eye, 

 will be useful here for steadying the eye, if cocaine is not used. 

 If the iris is touched by the knife in operating, it will bleed, and 

 will probably fill the chamber with blood ; but this complication 

 will pass off in a few days. In the majority of cases, the worm 

 seems anxious to quit the ©ye; for it will generally make its 

 escape if the aperture is big enough, even if it has not been 

 drawn through by the first rush of fluid. When the parasite 

 remains in the eye after the operation, the escape of the fluid 

 will often cause its death. If the puncture be unsuccessful, repeat 

 it after a fortnight, by which time the anterior chamber of the 

 eye will again become filled with fluid. 



If the iris has been wounded, and on that account protrudes 

 through the opening in the cornea, wait a little time until the 

 inflammation has subsided, and then, while the eye is under the 

 influence of cocaine, snip off ihe protruding portion with a pair 

 of curved scissors. 



The subsequent treatment of the wound made by the operation 

 consists in protecting it from injury and irritation, and furthering 

 its cure. With this object, put the patient on the pillar reins for 

 about a week, keep the eyelids smeared with extract of belladonna 

 (made up with a little glycerine, for instance), and shade his eyes 

 from light. If necessary, the eye might be cleaned by gently 

 syringing it with lukewarm water in which boracic acid (say, 25 

 grains to the ounce) has been dissolved. 



The practice of puncturing the cornea while the horse is 

 standing, is too dangerous to the eye tO' be adopted. 



Colonel Nunn performs the ' operation with a Beer or Graefea 

 cataract knife, and makes the incision only just large enough to 



