Warren Tay
Encyclopedia
Waren Tay was a British
ophthalmologist who was a native of Yorkshire
.
In 1881 Waren (often misspelt Warren) Tay first described the red spot on the retina
of the eye
that is present in Tay-Sachs disease
. He reported this condition in the Volume I edition of the Ophthalmological Society, an organization in which he was a founding member. Here he described the symptoms in a child who also had neurological
problems. Later in the Volume IV edition, he gave a complete description of the clinical symptoms of the disorder, and also reported that another member from the same family had this retinal condition.
In 1874 at the London Ophthalmic Hospital, Tay was the first to describe a condition that consisted of small white or yellow dots in the choroid
around the macula
in the eye, which are the manifestations of senile macular degeneration
. Nowadays, this condition is sometimes referred to as Hutchinson's disease, named after Tay's mentor, surgeon
Jonathan Hutchinson
.
Tay himself had glaucoma
and was blind
in one eye. He was a keen cyclist, and he was described by his friends as "a walking encyclopaedia of medicine".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ophthalmologist who was a native of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
.
In 1881 Waren (often misspelt Warren) Tay first described the red spot on the retina
Retina
The vertebrate retina is a light-sensitive tissue lining the inner surface of the eye. The optics of the eye create an image of the visual world on the retina, which serves much the same function as the film in a camera. Light striking the retina initiates a cascade of chemical and electrical...
of the eye
Human eye
The human eye is an organ which reacts to light for several purposes. As a conscious sense organ, the eye allows vision. Rod and cone cells in the retina allow conscious light perception and vision including color differentiation and the perception of depth...
that is present in Tay-Sachs disease
Tay-Sachs disease
Tay–Sachs disease is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder...
. He reported this condition in the Volume I edition of the Ophthalmological Society, an organization in which he was a founding member. Here he described the symptoms in a child who also had neurological
Neurology
Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
problems. Later in the Volume IV edition, he gave a complete description of the clinical symptoms of the disorder, and also reported that another member from the same family had this retinal condition.
In 1874 at the London Ophthalmic Hospital, Tay was the first to describe a condition that consisted of small white or yellow dots in the choroid
Choroid
The choroid, also known as the choroidea or choroid coat, is the vascular layer of the eye, containing connective tissue, and lying between the retina and the sclera. The human choroid is thickest at the far extreme rear of the eye , while in the outlying areas it narrows to 0.1 mm...
around the macula
Macula
The macula or macula lutea is an oval-shaped highly pigmented yellow spot near the center of the retina of the human eye. It has a diameter of around 5 mm and is often histologically defined as having two or more layers of ganglion cells...
in the eye, which are the manifestations of senile macular degeneration
Macular degeneration
Age-related macular degeneration is a medical condition which usually affects older adults and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field because of damage to the retina. It occurs in “dry” and “wet” forms. It is a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in older adults...
. Nowadays, this condition is sometimes referred to as Hutchinson's disease, named after Tay's mentor, surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
Jonathan Hutchinson
Jonathan Hutchinson
Sir Jonathan Hutchinson , was an English surgeon, ophthalmologist, dermatologist, venereologist and pathologist.-Life:He was born in Selby, Yorkshire, England of Quaker parents and educated in the local school...
.
Tay himself had glaucoma
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is an eye disorder in which the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently damaging vision in the affected eye and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. It is often, but not always, associated with increased pressure of the fluid in the eye...
and was blind
Blindness
Blindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
in one eye. He was a keen cyclist, and he was described by his friends as "a walking encyclopaedia of medicine".
External links
- Warren Tay @ Who Named ItWho Named ItWho Named It? is an English-language dictionary of medical eponyms and the people associated with their identification. Though this is a dictionary, many eponyms and persons are presented in extensive articles with comprehensive bibliographies. It is hosted in Norway and maintained by medical...