Ophthalmoscope with Rotating Lenses

Another method of selecting correcting lenses was to place a disc of lenses directly behind the viewing port. The first rotating disc was credited to Edgert Rekoss, who made Helmholtz’s instruments, in 1852. The concept was improved on over the years and became the norm for all ophthalmoscopes.

Combination Otoscope and Ophthalmoscope

As light bulbs and batteries got smaller, and new materials, such as Bakelite, plastic, and lighter metals were discovered the otoscope became smaller and easier to use. An all-in-one tool for examining the ears and the throat was available to physicians in the 1930s, and by the 1960s, became the instrument used today.

Electrical Ophthalmoscope

By 1886, the introduction of small, efficient light bulbs into ophthalmoscope designs eliminated the need for an external light source, making the device more practical for physicians and securing its place as a staple in medical practice.