title: Congenital cataract surgery during the early enlightenment period and the Stepkins oculists.
abstract: From antiquity through the Renaissance, congenital blindness was generally regarded as incurable, as noted in both medical and lay publications. The earliest reference to congenital cataract surgery that we identified, reported in 1663, referred to an 18-year-old female treated by English oculist John Stepkins (d. 1652). An examination of the literature related to the Stepkins family reveals the presence of male and female oculists during that period, including his daughter, Lady Theodosia Ivy. Eye waters attributed to Stepkins contained tutty (an oxide of zinc), roses, sugar candy, and other ingredients. Interestingly, John Thomas Woolhouse, the author of the next identified report of congenital cataract surgery in 1706, stated that he was related to Stepkins. Woolhouse reported by 1721 that he had performed 36 congenital cataract surgeries, with the youngest patient being 18 months of age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
authors.forename: Christopher T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Leffler
authors.affiliation: Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Naples, Florida.
authors.forename: Stephen G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond.
authors.forename: Byrd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davenport
mesh_terms: D002386:Cataract / Q000151:congenital / Q000266:history*; D002387:Cataract Extraction / Q000266:history*; D004739:England; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D006801:Humans; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000266:history*