The illustration on the front cover is from Sir William Adams’ book, ‘Practical observations on Ectropium or eversion of the eyelids with a description of the new operation for the cure of that disease’ published in 1812. The book also includes a section ‘on the modes of forming an artificial pupil (figure 1) and on cataract omit ’.

The left eye, top and bottom, shows ‘David Crommie's Eye previous to the operation and a fortnight later’. Likewise on the right top and bottom ‘Mr Menoe's Eye previous to the operation and after the disease was cured’. One might be forgiven for suspecting that the artist was persuaded that anything less than a perfect result would not be tolerated. It was in the illustrator's (artist's) gift to deal with any blemishes left by the surgeon. Preoperative and postoperative images constitute useful and important records and have been presented as evidence of the change induced by …