Survey of Ophthalmology
Volume 49, Issue 4 , Pages 446-453, July 2004

The Eye in the old testament and talmud☆

  • Ahmad M Mansour, MD

      Affiliations

    • ,
  • Daniel Gold, MD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationReprint address: Daniel Gold, MD, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555-0787, USA.
    • ,
  • Haytham I Salti, MD

      Affiliations

    • ,
  • Zaher M Sbeity, MD

      Affiliations

1Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon; 2Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; 3Department of Ophthalmology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; and 4Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelm University, Bonn, Germany

MICHAEL MARMOR, EDITOR

Abstract 

The Old Testament and Talmud contain references to the eye and its diseases. Ancient ophthalmology, emanating from Egyptian and Greek medicine, was confined to diseases of the external eye. Blindness was widespread in biblical times. We present some descriptions of the eye, its parts and disorders, as they appear in the Bible and Talmud. At times, there are other references that provide interesting clues as to possible systemic disorders associated with the visual problems experienced by the people who appear in the Biblical narrative. Did Isaac have diabetic retinopathy, Jacob hypermature cataract, and Elijah absolute glaucoma?

Keywords:  Elijah, Antiquity, Bible, Biblical medicine, blindness, history 8 Isaac, Jacob, Jewish medicine, Leah, Lot, Old Testament, prophets, religion, Talmud, Talmudic medicine, Tobit, Torah

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☆ The authors reported no proprietary or commercial interest in any product mentioned or concept discussed in this article.

PII: S0039-6257(04)00092-X

doi:10.1016/j.survophthal.2004.04.012

Survey of Ophthalmology
Volume 49, Issue 4 , Pages 446-453, July 2004

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