SURGERY OP THE EYE 195 



shaved and disinfected and the eyeball carefully 

 cleaned with warm, sterile, normal saline solution. 

 An incision about half an inch in length is made 

 through the skin at the outer canthus in the same 

 direction as the palpebral fissure, thus enlarging it. 



It is now possible to evert the lids, but usually 

 it is found impossible to return the eye until the 

 orbital sheath, the edge of which can be felt as a 

 tense band closely gripping the eyeball, is incised. 

 This is done by slipping the probe-pointed bistoury 

 between the globe and the sheath, turning the edge 

 to the constriction and cautiously dividing it. 



If the lids be now held apart and gentle pressure 

 with the palm of the hand applied to the cornea, the 

 eye will return quite easily to the orbit and the 

 operation is complete. 



The wound at the outer canthus is sutured, dried, 

 and sealed with collodion, and a pad of gauze is 

 placed over the eye and maintained in position by 

 a bandage or eye cap. 



The after-treatment consists in allaying any irrita- 

 tion with soothing collyria. 



Warts 



Warts on the eyelids are quite common and 

 should be removed by excision, never by ligation, 

 as the irritation produced may lead to irreparable 

 damage to the eye caused by the patient's endeavors 

 to remove the offending ligature with his hind feet. 



Foreign Bodies 



Foreign bodies are a frequent source of trouble, 

 the extent of which will vary according to the nature 

 of the foreign bodies. These gain entrance to the 

 (Conjunctival sac or impinge on the cornea and as 

 a rule give rise to only temporary irritation, which 

 quickly subsides upon their removal. Particles of 



