Inverted Eye-lashes
Inverted Eye-lashes, with Opacity of the Cornea.
Diana Primrose, aged 32, of No. 2, Benborough Street, St. Giles's, says she had a violent attack, eight years back, of ophthalmia in both eyes, accompanied with great swelling and constant discharge of matter from the eye-lids, arising from the eye-lashes of both eyes being turned in.
She was an out-patient to one of the Ophthalmic Hospitals for two years, but, instead of getting better, she became worse. She then applied to another Ophthalmic Institution, where she was subjected to treatment for four months, but no improvement took place. Three years ago her sufferings prompted her to visit a third institution, when one of the surgeons cut off the upper eyelid of the left eye, which gave rise to great pain and inflammation, but the opacity was not diminished nor the vision improved. She was obliged, during the eight years, to have her eye-lashes constantly pulled out.
She visited me on the 28th of October, 1842, when the eye-lashes of the right eye, both above and below, were still turned in, and rubbing against the cornea. The eye-lids were exceedingly red; the cornea of both eyes was nearly opaque, and only a small portion of the pupil could be observed through the opacity. Her vision was so imperfect that she could do little more than find her way about. She was oftenconfined to the house for a week at a time, through inflammation.
The vapour was only applied for the space of a week, after which she could see much better. The opacity was greatly diminished, and the eye-lashes began to resume their proper position. She continues to use the prussic acid vapour three or four times a week, and at the present time she is able to follow her occupations with comfort, and the eye is resuming all the appearance of health. She never has had occasion to pull one eye-lash out since I first saw her. She is now very comfortable, and can see tolerably well.
This is the first case of the kind that I have treated with prussic acid.