Early signs of trachoma observed by the slit lamp.

AFTER careful observation through Comberg's slit lamp (improved by Dr. Naito of Japan), the writers have clinically discovered the first sign of trachoma on the bulbar conjunctiva in 400 trachomatous eyes at different stages (according to MacCallan, 1936), twenty eyes with normal conjunctiva, and 58 eyes with epizootic conjunctivitis. This finding has not previously been reported, and these observations should therefore be valuable to those who are called upon to diagnose the earliest stage of trachoma, from which the normal conjunctiva and every variety of epizootic conjunctivitis are distinctly differentiated. The corneal microscope of the slit lamp is directed to the part of the bulbar conjunctiva under observation, the illumination being given to the neighbouring area. The specific reflection from the surface of the conjunctiva is easily caught by the indirect illumination.