Ophthalmological instruments of Al-Halabi fill in a gap in the biomedical engineering history

Table 1 The descriptions of the uses of the instruments[15]

Instrument name	No. in Figure 1	Uses in his table	Other uses in his book with page numbers in reference[15] given
Scissors	1	Distichiasis
Scissors	2	Pannus	Concretions (p.121, p.276); Ectropion (p.278); Stye (p.279); Distichiasis (p.282); Hordeolum (p.287); Hemangioma at the eyelid (p.287); Wart (p.289); Lacrimal caruncle swelling (p.291); Pterygium (p.293); Hemangioma at the conjunctiva (p.297); Iris prolapse (p.299); Superficial temporal artery (p.300)
Speculums	3	Only description	Pannus (p.295)
Scissors	5	Pannus, pterygium (a note with the myrtle leaf needle)	Granuloma at the conjunctiva (p.297)
Hooks	6	Pannus, pterygium, distichiasis	Symblepharon (p.277); Ectropion (p.278); Distichiasis (p.281); Hemangioma at the eyelid (p.287); Sebaceous cyst (p.290); Lacrimal caruncle swelling (p.291); Hemangioma at the conjunctiva (p.297); Granuloma at the conjunctiva (p.297); Superficial temporal artery (p.300)
Rose leaf needle	7	Hemangioma at the eyelid, sebaceous cyst, hemangioma at the conjunctiva (a note with the half rose leaf needle)	Trachoma (p.275); Symblepharon (p.277); Lagophthalmos (p.123, p.278); Ectropion (p.278); Wart (p.289)
Half rose leaf needle	8	Hemangioma at the conjunctiva, (Trachoma, concretions) (a note with the scraper)	Adhesions between the two eyelids (p.277)
Spear	9	Sebaceous cyst	Symblepharon (p.277); Ectropion (p.278)
Myrtle leaf needle	10	Pterygium, symblepharon, sebaceous cyst (a note with the spear)
Axe	11	Bloodletting the supraorbital vein
Drill	12	Dacryocystitis
Raven’s beak	13	Removing whatever sticks to the eye or the inner side of the eyelid	Conjunctival wound (p.213)
Lancet	14	Cataract
Rounded couching needle	16	Could be substituted by the triangular needle	Pannus (p.295); Hemangioma at the conjunctiva (p.297); Cataract (p.305)
Scalpel	18	Hypopyon, chemosis	Adhesions between the two eyelids (p.277); Allergic dermatitis (p.288)
Scraper	19	Trachoma, concretions
Lancet	20	Lipoma, chalazion	Concretions (p.276); Chemosis (p.285); Blepharitis (p.289); Hypopyon (p.298); Superficial temporal artery (p.300); Cataract (p.307)
Sickle	21	Adhesions between the two eyelids, ectropion
Hollowed aspirating needle	22	Cataract
Gooseneck speculum and tailor’s needle	24	Distichiasis
Gatherer	27	Wart	‘Foreign body’ fallen into the eye (p.215), Stye (p.279), Hordeolum (p.287),
Gatherer	28	Distichiasis, ‘foreign body’ fallen into the eye
Cautery	29	Supraorbital vein, superficial temporal veins	Superficial temporal artery (pp.300-301)
Cautery	30	Dacryocystitis
Cautery	31	Distichiasis
Small drill	34	Dacryocystitis
Awn-tongs	35	‘Foreign body’ fallen into the eye

Table 2 Medicinal natural products used in distichiasis treatment[15,31,32]

Common name	Scientific name	Arabic name	Effects
Mastic	Pistacia lentiscus	Mustaqy	Antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, sedative
Sarcocolla	Astragalus Sarcocolla L	Aanzarout	Anthelmintic, emollient
Aloe	Aloe vera	Sabr	Wound healing, antimicrobial