Wednesday 19 December 2012

Eye, eye (not a post for the squeamish)

Back in September my Mum found out she needed a cataract operation. When there was a eye health session in town this gave us opportunity to find out more...
 .
We got to try on glasses to see how people with various eye conditions see the world.

 For someone with cataracts, it's like looking through very misty glasses.

 Reuben and Rosanna loved looking at the toys and books for visually impaired children.

 
 I then had a brain wave, we'd get some animal eyes from the butchers and dissect them. Not very Christmassy, but would finish off learning about eyes. At the butchers I wasn't expecting him to suddenly present the eyes for inspection, I screamed, bent double in a mixture of feeling faint and sick!
I took the eyes home (still feeling sick), not sure what to do with them.
When Geoff came home, he dissected the eyes, it was left up to the girls if they wanted to watch.


 The optic nerve.
I am amazed how much of it has stuck in Jemima's mind, 
she described it afterwards in great detail.

 Popping out the lens.


 Out comes the vitreous humour,
not sure what the (squashed) circle of pigment is

Finally turning the whole thing inside out to examine the retina, 
(while the other eye looks on in horror!)

I couldn't do the dissection, or even watch it, but it's been a great way of learning about the eye. They have plans to dissect a windpipe next!

19 comments:

  1. Definitely gross. Hope your mom's surgery went well.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, yes it went well. She's now had both cataract's replaced and can now see clearly.

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  2. That is very interesting, just yesterday I went to the eye doctor.I will need an operation soon.
    :)))
    Merry Christmas.

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  3. we did this in junior high -- definitely proved I was not cut out for a life in science. (are the irises blue?)

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  4. Amazing and not for the squeamish ~ Glad she is okay ~

    (A Creative Harbor ~ aka ArtMuseDog and Carol )

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  5. The Eye Health Fair is a wonderful idea. The vision glasses and Braille materials are a great way to share the challenges of visual impairment with the sighted.

    And, though the opportunity to dissect the little eyes is invaluable for the students, I have to admit - I closed my eyes when it got to that point of the blog entry!

    Excellent E post!

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  6. Thank you for the warning. Of course I did not heed it!

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  7. Fascinating. I used to work in an ophthalmic clinic when I was nursing. I loved it - even though when I began my training I was very squeamish about eyes! Hope your Mum is benefitting from her surgery - it makes such a difference xx

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  8. I am so glad I didn't have to be there.

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  9. Like Naperville Now, I also did this in Junior High. I remember being amazed at how tough they were to cut open! I don't think I could do this now! LOL!
    ~Lynda

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  10. Yikes! I'm glad my Jr High science teacher was squeamish when it came to dissections so we just read the book!!

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  11. Oh my... I could not have done that either, yet it is so informative.

    Stopping by from Alphabe- Thursday - mine for letter 'E' @ ImagesByCW

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  12. That doesn't look very appetizing, lol ! I think I would have refused to fumble in that pig eye !

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  13. I think this is absolutely fascinating! Glad you came up with this. I had cataract surgery last year after I discovered that I had become legally blind in one eye. The surgery was so easy and the results remarkable.

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  14. Holy criminy.

    You are amazing.

    I am really squeamish and would have passed out cold!

    I admire that you are so open to discovering how things work!

    Shudder.

    Thanks for a fascinating link for the letter E.

    A+

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  15. I don't know if I'd be able to do the eye dissection or watch it even, I remember doing that in junior high, but I've grown more squeamish as I've gotten older......

    Thanks for linking up to Science Sunday!

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  16. Wow, wow, wow! I wish I wasn't so squeamish. I know this was amazing learning.

    jeannine: waddleeahchaa.com

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