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Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Science Museum Group
The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum
Ophthalmoscope, steel, brass and glass, by Collin and Co. of Paris, late 19th century
Herman von Helmholtz (1821-1894) invented the ophthalmoscope in 1851. It is a simple, highly effective instrument used to view the interior of the eye. Helmholtz reasoned an observer placing his eye in the path of light reflected from the back of a subject’s eye (through the pupil) could see the subject’s retina. Helmholtz used glass plates angled at 45 degrees to reflect sunlight into the eye. In this example, a ratchet mechanism rotates two wheels of lenses in front of a perforated mirror.
Details
- Category:
- Ophthalmology
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A625215 Pt1
- Materials:
- brass (copper, zinc alloy), glass and steel (metal)
- type:
- ophthalmoscope
- taxonomy:
-
- furnishing and equipment
- tools & equipment
- ophthalmic equipment
- ophthalmic instrument
