[MR] Eyeglasses!

[Dexter Guptill]

Actually, they did know it was a clouded lens.  Surgery involved
sticking a needle into the eyeball to shove the lens out  of the way.
It didn't let people actually see again, but did let them perceive
light, dark, and shadows.

http://thelistcafe.com/images/stories/Lists/066_10_Chilling_ancient_medical_treatments/medieval-medical-procedures-cataract.jpg
is an illustration of Western European and Middle Eastern procedures.
The source website is a bit sensationalist (take with multiple buckets
of salt) but the pictures themselves are period.

If you're at Pennsic, take Master Michael Graham's class on the
Medieval Barber-Surgeon.

On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 9:21 PM, Stefan li Rous
<StefanliRous at austin.rr.com> wrote:
> What did they know about cataracts in period? Did they even know it had to
> do with the eye lens? Even if they did, there probably wasn't anything they
> could do about it.
>
> Stefan

Erich von Kleinfeld, mka
-- 
Dex
http://members.cox.net/dguptill

"Rule 37: There is no overkill. There is only 'Open Fire', and 'I need
to reload'. " http://www.schlockmercenary.com