‘Plastics’

Until recently a surgeon's ability was measured by his dexterity in cutting something out. But old ideas may become practical possibilities if new substances are discovered. Today and in the future the surgeon willbe concerned whenever possible with putting things back. An excellent example of this is given by the operation for cataract. In this common and disabling disease, removal of the lens gives excellent results, but several different pairs of glasses with large, heavy and unsightly lenses are needed, and patients without their glasses as during washing or bathing are nearly blind. The discovery of plastics has made the insertion of an artificial lenticulus into the eye after the removal of a cataract a practical possibility. At Moorfields and St. Thomas's hospitals a number of plastic lenses have been inserted into the eye after the extraction of the cataract. These lenses consisted of a form of polymethyl methacrylate (transpex); this substance is inert in the human body and no reaction has been noted in the eyes of 'these patients after two or more years. The 'esults have been encouraging and good vision obtained.