Beale type self-illuminating ophthalmoscope, London, England, 1870

Beale's self-illuminating ophthalmoscope, by Hawkesley, London, 1870

An ophthalmoscope illuminates the interior of the eye. This allows examination through the pupil of the retina and other internal structures. This self-illuminating example was devised by Lionel Beale in 1969. The ophthalmoscope was mounted on a wooden stand or held in the hand. It could be used in full daylight or in a well-lit room. Before Beale’s invention, eye inspections were done in darkened rooms to concentrate the light source into the eye. This example was made by Hawksley of London.