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Ophthalmic Clinic.
I am indebted to Mr. R. M. Chambers, M.B., B.S.,
D.O.M.S., for the following report: —
The work of the clinic continued at a satisfactory level
during 1953, at the rate of five sessions per week. The total
number of attendances has not altered significantly.
I feel it is a pity that under school age children should
be debarred from the clinic for the investigation of squint.
Often they are part of a large family, older members of
which are already coming here. The harassed mother has
to make separate journeys for broadly speaking the same
complaint and would welcome treatment for all the family
under the same roof at the same time. I make a point of
enquiring about younger members of the family, and where
possible " family parties " are invited. This makes for a
better assessment of prognosis, a less reserved response from
the youngest and a somewhat noisy session.
The number of infective conditions remains low, but of
course this is no index of the total number since the majority
are treated by their own doctors.
The provision of a Livingstone Binocular Gauge has
enabled convergence and accommodational anomalies to be
followed more closely. There are a number of cases needing
orthoptic treatment which as yet is only available at some
distance from this area. As I stressed in an earlier report
I feel that this is a very real need.
I intend to investigate the problem of word-blindness
which may be responsible for much backwardness among
school children and hope to make a report next year.
An analysis of non-refractive cases is as follows: —
Infective.
Conjunctivitis, acute 8
Conjunctivitis. Chronic 10
Blepharitis 9
Styes 11
Dacryocystitis, acute 2
Meibomian cyst 8
Meibomian abscess 2
Keratitis, punctate 3
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