The first cataract surgeons in Anglo-America

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical History

Background:

• The early history of cataract surgery in the English-speaking Americas is not well-documented.
• Identifying the first surgeons to perform cataract procedures is essential for understanding the evolution of ophthalmic care.

Observation:

• John Morphy performed couching in Montserrat in 1751.
• William Stork practiced cataract couching in Jamaica (1760) and along the Atlantic coast (1761-1764).
• Frederick William Jericho, a German surgeon, published on extracapsular cataract extraction in 1767 and practiced in the Leeward Islands (1776) and the US (1783-1785).
• Lewis Leprilete, a French surgeon, advertised cataract extraction in the US in 1782 and trained Nathaniel Miller.

Findings:

• These surgeons introduced and popularized cataract couching and extraction in the Americas.
• Their practices predated widespread adoption and led to the emergence of other local surgeons performing the procedures.
• Lewis Leprilete also publicized Benjamin Franklin's bifocal invention.

Implications:

• The arrival of these pioneering surgeons significantly advanced American ophthalmology.
• Their efforts laid the groundwork for the development of surgical eye care in the United States.
• This historical account highlights the contributions of international surgeons to early American medicine.