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Mulqueeny Eye Centers

Friday Fun Fact - A Little Trivia about Cataract Surgery

 

Even though crude attempts at cataract surgery can be traced as far back as 29 AD, modern cataract procedures with lens replacement have been made possible thanks to the Second World War.

An ophthalmic surgeon in London, Sir Harold Ridley, was asked by his students why surgeons never replaced the extracted lens during cataract surgery.  The answer was that the body rejected most materials that were used in an attempt to replace the lens.

It was at that point he began paying attention to pilots who came back from their missions in WWII with little pieces of perspex in their eye (shattered screens of the planes they were flying in).  There seemed to be no rejection of the pieces of acrylic/plastic found in their eyes.  This material was later modified and further developed into the artificial lenses that are used in cataract procedures today.

Another reason to thank our WWII veterans!

Tagged In: Mulqueeny Eye Centers St Louis Mo, Sean P Mulqueeny Od St Louis Mo, Andrew J Biondo Od St Louis Missouri, Eye Care St Louis Missouri, Cataract St Louis Missouri

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Dr Mulqueeny is friendly yet very professional. He cares about his patients and will take the time to talk and answer any questions. I would tell anyone to go see him.

-Kathy Rhodes
St. Louis, MO

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