The Discovery Of Phenylketonuria Recorded In Museum Paintings Of Patients Fundi
Hui Lin Yim- Royal Melbourne Hospital
The museum is fortunate to have a collection of the retinal paintings by Ilene Hill. These include fundi of children from the Kew Mental Asylum affected by Phenylketonuria PKU The discovery of the disease and history of the asylum and paintings was presented at RANZCO 2011.
From a Brazilian shrub to a sight-saving drug, pilocarpine’s journey spans centuries — evolving from early glaucoma therapy to new uses in modern medicine.
Presented by Prof Ian McAllister, this fascinating history traces the evolution of the ophthalmoscope, from candlelight to electric illumination, and how it revolutionised eye care by making the living retina visible for the first time.
Anniversary of World War 1
On the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War it is worth recalling the devastating psychological and physical effects of chemical warfare. Mustard gas was widely used causing temporary and sometimes permanent incapacity from corneal exposure.
1920 Consulting Room exhibition features diagnostic and therapeautic artifacts from the period, including prominent ophthalmologists and diseases prevalent at the time.
Prominant surgeons of the 20th century and their contribution to retinal surgery, from Gonin to Machemer. Delivered by Emil Kurniawan and David Kaufman of the Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, this exhibition detailed the origins of retinal detachment surgery from procedures dating pre-1920s to the current day.
‘Eye Surgery and Surgeons in New Zealand’ is an account of those who have practised ophthalmology in New Zealand from colonial times to recent times. Some early surgeons were colourful itinerants, who operated in hotel rooms and patients’ homes, and advertised like snake-oil salesmen. Others, such as Sir Lindo Ferguson in the early 1900s, were at the top of the specialty, and were huge contributors to medical education in New Zealand and Australia. All those who practised ophthalmology in the past are mentioned, together with the contributions that were made by many. As well as biographies of many characters, the book details the organization of ophthalmology in New Zealand, the remarkable ascent of academic ophthalmology since the late 1990s driven largely by the academic department in Auckland, the evolving relationship with Australian ophthalmology culminating in a joint College, and also some controversies fuelled by the news media, which have not always been kind to the specialty.
Presented by Prof Ian McAllister, this fascinating history traces the evolution of the ophthalmoscope, from candlelight to electric illumination, and how it revolutionised eye care by making the living retina visible for the first time.
The Erisophake : A Forgotten Instrument in Cataract Surgery
Inspired by a leech and powered by ingenuity, the Erisophake used suction to remove cataracts with unprecedented precision, marking a brief but fascinating chapter in the evolution of eye surgery.
Born from the idea of using light to heal rather than harm, the xenon arc photocoagulator became the first true retinal laser therapy, transforming the treatment of diabetic eye disease.
Maklakov Tonometer. A simple early form of applanation tonometry.
Russian ophthalmologist Alexey NikolaevichMaklakov (1837-1895) developed a fixed-force, variable area, applanation tonometer in 1884 (Figure 1) to determine the intraocular pressure (IOP) in patient eyes.
Schiotz indentation tonometer used for many decades
Hjalmar August Schiøtz (1850-1927) began his journey to become the first Norwegian Professor of Ophthalmology in 1879 alongside Ernest Fuchs in Vienna. Schiøtz aware of the important relationship between intraocular pressure and glaucoma created a device to accurately and reliably measure intraocular pressure. In 1905 Schiøtz presented the Schiøtz Tonometer at the Norwegian Medical Society Meeting.
Prof Ian McAllister from Perth WA is a long time collector of unique ophthalmic antiques, generously gifting these to RANZCO Eye Museum over the years. Here he describes the rare and beautiful 18th century Zick model eye.
When Hermann von Helmholtz fashioned his simple “eye-mirror” in 1850, he opened the living eye for the first time, transforming ophthalmology and ushering in the era of modern retinal examination.
OPHTHALMOSCOPE – Marc Antoine Louis Félix Giraud-Teulon (1816-1887)
Marc Antoine Louis Félix Giraud-Teulon 1816-1887
c1861
Giraud-Teulon invented the first binocular ophthalmoscope in 1861.
He employed a solid rhomboid prism for each eye with their apices meeting in a vertical plane. There was no adjustment for different inter pupillary measurements so that only those with an average IPD would have achieved a stereoscopic view of the fundus.
Light from a gas lamp mounted above the patient’s head was directed towards the concave mirror of the ophthalmoscope. This mirror, with its large central aperture, was placed in front of the apices of the rhomboid prisms. The mirror could be tilted horizontally.
The original ophthalmoscope was fitted with base out prisms behind the eyepieces to assist convergence. Later models had two powers of prisms, either round or rectangular, held in a slide.
The handle could be screwed into the chassis for left- or right-hand use. In some models the handle was at an angle, in others the handle was secured in a horizontal position.
This is the first of a series of more practical ophthalmoscopes that Coccius developed. It consisted of a rectangular plane mirror mounted on a thin brass plate. The central aperture was bored out. The handle of the mirror was mounted on a slotted plate so that it could be moved backwards and forwards and turned in relation to the fixed plus illuminating lens.Light was directed through the condensing or illuminating lens which in turn was reflected by the plane mirror into the pupil of the eye.
Babbage’s “ophthalmoscope” is the story of what might have been if…….
His invention was three years before Hermann von Helmholtz discovered what he called his eye speculum or ophthalmoscope in 1850.
No model has been found of Babbage’s instrument. The reconstruction shown here is based on a description given by Thomas Wharton Jones, an ophthalmologist who tried to use it in 1847.
Babbage used a plane mirror with two or three scrapings of the silver coating removed from the centre. The mirror was mounted in a tube at 45 degrees with the side of the tube open to receive light from an external source.
Wharton Jones was unfortunately a high myope (minus 6D) and dismissed the instrument as ineffective. It was abandoned by Babbage who moved on to his analytical engine. The tragedy was that William Cummings worked at the London Ophthalmic Hospital, Moorfields at same time only 4k away. Cummings, who was emmetropic, had published of the diagnostic value of light being reflected from the eye and would have had little difficulty in recognising the value of Babbage’s invention.
Ophthalmology’s first Nobel laureate, Allvar Gullstrand transformed eye science through pioneering work in optics, accommodation, and the slit lamp. This poster was awarded Historic Poster Winner at the 57th RANZCO Annual Congress in Melbourne, recognising his enduring impact on modern ophthalmology.
A leader in Australian ophthalmology, Ronald Lowe devoted his life to understanding and treating glaucoma, shaping clinical practice through meticulous research, exacting standards, and decades of service.
A pioneer of Australian ophthalmology, Dr Edgar “Eddie” John Donaldson AO advanced retinal surgery and medical education, inspiring generations through skill, innovation, and lifelong curiosity.
An Australian ophthalmologist whose insight changed medical history, Sir Norman Gregg (1892-1966) discovered the link between maternal rubella and congenital cataracts — revealing how a virus could shape life before birth.
Discover how Dr Joseph Ringland Anderson helped shape modern Australian ophthalmology — uniting the field, advancing blindness prevention, and inspiring the creation of RANZCO.
George Bartisch – Renaissance author of ‘Ophthalmodouleia’
Although Bartisch was not academically trained, he was considered a highly skilled practitioner of ocular medicine and surgery. He is credited for producing the first Renaissance manuscript on ophthalmic disorders and eye surgery, “Ophthalmodouleia Das ist Augendienst“. It was published in 1583, and discussed ocular diseases, surgical techniques and instruments, and contained an ophthalmic atlas of 92 woodcuts depicting diseases of the eye. Bartisch is also remembered for his work in lithotomy for the removal of urinary calculi.
Al Mackay worked with the pioneers of Intraocular lens implants. His personal insights into the conflicts that existed at the time and his gratitude for the subsequent developments.
Dame Ida Mann, a leader in many fields of ophthalmology, is honoured at the RANZCO Head Office in Sydney with a poster presentation of her life and work as well as her original slit lamp in the Ida Mann conference room at the RANZCO office.
Dr. Kevin O’Day, an ophthalmologist in Victoria in the early and middle part of the last century, accumulated an eclectic mix of animal eyes which he had processed for histology. Whilst a few of these descriptions (platypus, albatross) contributed to knowledge of comparative ophthalmology by being published at the time most were not reported in any form. The collection of slides was hidden away for many years but recently was recovered in the basement of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and upon request was loaned to Prof McMenamin in Anatomy and Development Biology for “rebirthing”. RANZCO museum had a desire to make some form of electronic resource of the collection available to members. Hence, we carefully selected the best 70 slides from 57 species from several thousand slides that we considered were well enough preserved and provided valuable morphological data. Slides were cleaned and then digitally scanned and this data will be available to college members as an online resource. Amongst the many slides are specimens of fish, amphibians, reptiles, monotremes, marsupials, and placental mammals, many of which would be difficult to source in the modern era. Many have likely never been carefully studied hence the digital resource will be a wealth of untapped scientific data as well being a legacy to this visionary ophthalmologist and possibly frustrated zoologist.
This exhibition highlights the microsurgical instruments developed by Geoffrey Sutherland and the pivotal role they play in vitrectomy and congenital cataract surgery.
The molecular biography of John Dalton whose observations on colour vision has been verified 200 years after his death by examining DNA extracted from his preserved eye. The poster by Enis Kocak won the 2016 Jim Martin prize.
By cutting deep into the cornea to correct myopia, Tsutomu Sato revealed both the promise and peril of refractive surgery, paving the way for the precision of today’s laser vision correction.
In the 1950s, Hermenegildo Arruga’s encircling “string” reshaped retinal surgery — a bold step that laid the foundation for modern scleral buckling and vitreoretinal repair.
In the 1960s, surgeons learned to freeze cataracts to their instruments, turning ice into a surgical ally and transforming cataract removal into a safer, more precise art.
From ancient surgeons to modern endoscopy, the history of dacryology charts humanity’s long quest to restore the tear duct’s delicate flow, a journey of precision, patience, and persistence.
From glass jars to organ culture, this display traces how corneal storage evolved — turning fragile tissue into sight-saving grafts that could last weeks instead of hours.
Prominant surgeons of the 20th century and their contribution to retinal surgery, from Gonin to Machemer. Delivered by Emil Kurniawan and David Kaufman of the Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, this exhibition detailed the origins of retinal detachment surgery from procedures dating pre-1920s to the current day.
Prior to anterior segment and retinal photography, medical artists performed the tasks of documenting pathology. The College Archives in Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Library contain fine examples of these works. With the development of the ophthalmoscope and slit lamp in the 19th century, ophthalmologists led by Vogt described in meticulous detail eye pathology laying the foundations of modern ophthalmology. Ilene Hill graduated at the Art Gallery of Victoria in company with many other well-known artists. The ophthalmologist Rupert Naylor who practiced in Collins Street, Melbourne taught her to use an ophthalmoscope and from there she had a fruitful career serving hospital Eye Departments and private practices in Melbourne over twenty years from 1940. Retinal paintings were charged at 4 guineas for two paintings. There are instances where a patient has been serially documented over the course of an illness. The collection of these paintings and drafts of her work are in the RANZCO Museum.
The Arruga String Procedure transformed retinal detachment surgery, laying the groundwork for modern scleral buckling techniques despite its eventual replacement.
From mercury and dark rooms to penicillin and precision therapy, the evolving treatment of ocular syphilis reflects medicine’s long journey from superstition to science.
In the 1970s, the DRS proved that laser therapy could prevent blindness from diabetic retinopathy — a breakthrough that set the standard for care and shaped every treatment that followed.
From rigid glass shells to breathable scleral lenses, the evolution of haptic lenses transformed eye comfort and restored vision for patients with complex corneal disease.
Before steroids transformed eye care, uveitis was treated with leeches, mercury, and even heat and fever — a striking glimpse into medicine’s inventive (and hazardous) past.
Bleeding of patients as a method of treatment for disease, occurring in any part of the body, was practised from the time of the early Egyptians approximately 1000 B.C.E.
Featuring discussions on the Early treatment of diabetic retinopathy, Teaching of ophthalmoscopy, Indian ophthalmic museums, and the Beginnings of vitrectomy in Melbourne.
To view a specific presentation, move the slider to the indicated time.
Introduction (starts at 0.00)
By Chair- Dr David Kaufman
Early treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy (starts at 1.30)
Presented by Dr Rahul Chakrabarti
Diabetic retinopathy was first described in 1855. Pituitary ablation aimed at regressing proliferative retinopathy was reported 100 years later with limited success and frequent complications. Gerd Meyer-Schwickerath used a carbon arc lamp and then Xenon photocoagulation to induce retinal burns to regress the retinopathy. Photocoagulation became widespread until the landmark clinical trial results of the Diabetic Retinopathy Study in 1960’s. Diagnostic fluorescein angiography imaged the pathological vascular anatomy which enabled earlier diagnosis of sight threatening lesions.
The Teaching of Ophthalmoscopy (starts at 25.26)
Presented by Prof Ian McAllister
An overview of the development of the various devices and aids utilised in the early teaching of ophthalmoscopy during the nineteenth century. These include instruments that allowed an observer to view the image and because of the design allowed a stabilized image or superior illumination and a fixed working distance. Atlases that demonstrated the disorders to be seen in the eye and finally practice models that replicated the optical characteristics of the eye and allowed the refractive characteristics and fundal images to be interchanged.
Ophthalmic Museums of India (starts at 49.40)
Presented by Kirsten Campbell
At the invitation of the All India Ophthalmic Society, museums in Delhi and Chennai were visited revealing a trove of history of Indian and Colonial ophthalmology.
Preserved patient histories and artworks of advanced disease feature in the extensive Elliot museum in Chennai named after the contribution of Elliot who developed the trephination operation for glaucoma.
Early Vitrectomy (starts at 108.00)
Presented by Dr David Kaufman
Some 50 years ago, Gerard Crock in the Melbourne University Department of Ophthalmology working with the innovative and brilliant engineers Jean Marie Parel and Ljubomir Pericec, developed the prototype of the Vitreous Infusion Suction Cutter – VISC. Prior to this, attempts to dissolve blood in the vitreous pharmacologically with Urokinase and Alpha Chymotrypsin failed together with manual removal of the vitreous and vitreous replacements. Parel then returned to work with Robert Machemer at Bascombe Palmer Institute in Miami. The remarkable transoceanic technology transfer between MUDO and Bascombe Palmer continued via mail and Parels’ temporary return to Melbourne.
