Keeler Senior Wide Angle Morton Ophthalmoscope 1946
The Keeler Senior Wide Angle Morton Ophthalmoscope is a large and technically sophisticated battery-operated instrument from 1946. It represents British ophthalmic instrument engineering at its mid-century best. This example comes in its original black leatherette case with a slot for an extra bulb — though the extra bulb is not present.
The Morton Design
The Morton ophthalmoscope was a significant development in British clinical ophthalmology. It combined wide-angle viewing with a comprehensive lens system in a single self-contained battery handle. Keeler produced the Morton to the highest standards of precision and reliability.
The Bottom Dial
The bottom dial has diameters marked so the examiner can compare them to the patient’s pupil size. This same dial controls the lenses used to focus on the patient’s retina. The actual lens power is viewed through the middle magnifying lens. Plus and minus marks appear on either side of it for easy reference during examination.
The Top Ring
The top ring contains five openings. The middle one is no lens — plain glass. The marking convention shows two plus lenses in red (+8 and +20 diopters) and two minus lenses in white (-10 and -30 diopters). This wide range of powers allows examination of eyes with significant refractive error without additional lenses.
The Filters
Two filters on the back side swing in or out of position. One is a 1.5mm aperture that reduces the amount of light reaching the slanted mirror. This is useful for patients with small or undilated pupils. The other is a green lens — marked red-free — used to enhance the visibility of retinal blood vessels. Red-free examination is particularly useful for detecting subtle retinal haemorrhages and nerve fibre layer defects.
Case and Condition
The Keeler Senior Wide Angle Morton Ophthalmoscope comes in its original black leatherette case. The case has a dedicated slot for an extra bulb. The instrument is in good condition consistent with its age of approximately 80 years.
