Monday, Aug. 25, 1947

Welding Job

In Pittsburgh's Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat Hospital, a surgeon picked up a hot electric needle one day last week and went to work on Mayor David L. Lawrence's left eye. Some of the tissues inside the Mayor's eye were torn. Like a welder with a torch, the surgeon thrust his needle into the back of the eyeball, heated the damaged tissues and joined them together again. The chances were good that the drastic operation would save the Mayor's eyesight.

Mayor Lawrence's trouble was a condition known as "detached retina." A section of the retina (the eye's inner nerve coat) is torn loose from the choroid (the spongy surrounding membrane that normally supplies the retina's nourishment). The space between the retina and choroid fills up with fluid, gradually enlarging the break. As the undernourished retina deteriorates, the patient's vision blurs, eventually fails.

The "welding" operation, now widely used, has been successful in many cases. The surgeon, after turning the eyeball around, first punctures it in several places to drain the fluid between retina and choroid. Then he seals the two membranes together by heating them. The inflamed, swollen retina and choroid close up like inflated inner and outer tubes and eventually heal tightly together.

To avoid eye movements which might part the healing tissues, Mayor Lawrence for the next six weeks will wear goggles with pinpoint holes that will force him to look straight ahead.

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