One notable figure is the Greek physician Galen, who practiced in the 2nd century CE. Galen's writings on medicine and surgery became foundational for centuries of medical thought. While Galen did not describe cataract surgery in detail, he was aware of the condition and referenced it in his writings on eye diseases. It is believed that Galen, like his predecessors, would have known of the technique of couching, although he did not fully elaborate on it.
The Roman physician Aulus Cornelius Celsus (1st century CE) is often credited with providing one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the couching technique in his medical work De Medicina. Celsus wrote about the treatment of cataracts using a needle-like instrument, describing how the cloudy lens could be pushed to the back of the eye. Although this technique was far from perfect, it marked an important milestone in the history of ophthalmology.
The Development of Cataract Surgery in the Islamic Golden Age
During the Islamic Golden Age (8th to 14th century CE), cataract surgery saw further refinement, especially under the influence of prominent physicians such as Al-Razi (Rhazes) and Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen). These scholars not only advanced knowledge of the human eye but also helped preserve and expand upon the techniques developed in ancient India, Greece, and Rome.
Ibn al-Haytham, often regarded as the "father of optics," made significant contributions to the understanding of vision and the anatomy of the eye. While he did not perform cataract surgery himself, his work on the properties of light and the way the eye functions laid the groundwork for future surgical advancements. Al-Razi, on the other hand, wrote about cataract surgery and described various surgical methods, including a more refined form of couching, as well as early attempts at removing the cataract entirely. shutdown123