Eye Defect Discovered

A hitherto unknown eye defect, discovered and named aniseikonia by the Department of Research in Physiological Optics of the Dartmouth Medical School, was described before a meeting of the ophthalmological section of the New York Academy of Medicine on April 16. The abnormality of vision which was described is caused by a difference in the size and shape of the ocular images formed on the retina of each eye.

The Department, which has been conducting research experiments on the subject for the past ten years, was represented at the meeting by Adelbert Ames Jr., research professor; Gordon H. Gliddon, assistant professor; Dr. E. H. Carleton, research clinician; and Leo F. Madigan, research fellow. Other members of the Department who have been doing research in physiological optics are Arthur F. Dittmer and Kenneth N. Ogle, both research fellows.

The Department also demonstrated the mechanism and use of the Ophthalmoeikonometer, an instrument for determining and measuring aniseikonia. The presient instrument is the result of an almost annual evolution since 1927, in which year the first research instrument for determining the relative size and shape of ocular images was constructed by the Department of Research in Physiological Optics at the Dartmouth Medical School.

Through the cooperation of the Dartmouth research group and the Scientific Department of the American Optical Company, iseikonic lenses have been developed for the correction of aniseikonia. These lenses, which magnify or diminish images, are in some cases double lenses cemented together at the edge, with an air space between.

In connection with the research work at Dartmouth, a clinical division is conducted for the diagnosis and treatment of aniseikonia, as well as other ocular disorders. This division is known as the Eye section of the Hitchcock clinic of the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, and is under the direction of Dr. Carleton and Mr. Madigan.