Eric John Arnott (12 June 1929 – 1 December 2011) was a British ophthalmologist and surgeon who specialized in cataracts, a condition which in many parts of the world still remains the principal cause of blindness. He is known for inventing new surgical techniques for treatment of various ophthalmological disorders, and received professional awards for his contributions.
Career Arnott was educated at Harrow School (Elmfield) and Trinity College, Dublin where he was awarded the Surgical Prize in 1952; BA (Hons) 1953 and MB (Hons), BCh (Hons) and BAO (Hons) 1954. He gained his Diploma in Ophthalmology (DO) in 1956 and Fellowship to the Royal College of Surgeons (FRCS) in 1963.
Arnott's first ophthalmic appointment was as Houseman at the Royal Adelaide Hospital and Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin, following which he held early appointments at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, and University College Hospital London, where he trained under Sir Stewart Duke-Elder and H. B. Stallard.
Whilst at Moorfields he worked with Sir Harold Ridley, the inventor of the intraocular lens; Arnott was inspired by Ridley's work on the intraocular lens and they later became lifelong friends.
After completing training at University College Hospital, Arnott was appointed as consultant initially to the Royal Eye Hospital and later, in 1965, to Charing Cross Hospital; then still in the Strand. In 1973 the hospital moved to its current site in Fulham, where Arnott was responsible for setting up the ophthalmic surgical services.
In 1974, Arnott and his wife Veronica organised the first Live International Ophthalmic Micro-Surgical Symposium in Charing Cross Hospital, where ten of the world's top eye surgeons performed live surgery, relayed to over 300 international delegates, courtesy of the BBC. This novel concept in advanced surgical teaching set a standard for future surgical conferences. He later organised two other live symposia with Professor Emanuel Rosen, with the objective of bringing new ideas in cataract surgery to a wider audience.
Arnott was known for his pioneering work in ophthalmology and many of today's top eye surgeons were trained by him whilst registrars at Charing Cross.
He retired from the NHS in 1994.
Phacoemulsification In 1968, whilst Secretary of the Ophthalmic Society of the United Kingdom he invited Dr Charles Kelman MD, the inventor of phacoemulsification ("phaco"), to address the Society. Kelman had found a method of removing the cataract through an incision of 3.5mm compared to the 12mm required for most surgery at the time. This meant that patients no longer had to remain in bed for two weeks after surgery with all movement restricted.
In 1971, Arnott visited the United States to attend one of Kelman's first courses. On his return, he privately raised the finance to buy the expensive equipment required for the procedure. When he started performing this new type of cataract operation, history indicates that it was not well received by his colleagues. Six years later Arnott was virtually alone in performing and teaching this procedure outside America.
Today, almost all cataract surgery is carried out using a variation of the technique that Arnott pioneered in the UK in the early seventies.
Lens implantation In 1974, influenced by Sir Harold Ridley's work on lens implantation, Arnott designed the Little-Arnott lens, which was manufactured by Rayners. This was one of the first intraocular lenses to be positioned behind the iris, the normal position of the natural lens. Previously, lenses were implanted in front of the iris, and many of them caused severe ocular problems.Apple D.J., Kincaid M.C., Mamalis N, Olson R.J. Intraocular Lenses: Evolution, Designs, Complications, and Pathology. Baltimore, Williams & Wilkins (1989) Arnott followed this up with several other designs before inventing "the totally encircling loop" lens which was manufactured under license by Alcon, Pharmacia and Smith & Nephew and others. Clinical data demonstrated that this lens maintained an excellent position within the eye and over 2 million were implanted worldwide during the 1980s and 1990s.Arnott E.J. Condon R. TELL - 3-year follow up of 1800 cases from Aug 1982 - Aug 1985. Cataract Journal Vol. 2 No. 8
During the seventies, all of the lenses designed by Arnott were made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). In 1981, Arnott and Richard Packard, his then senior registrar at Charing Cross Hospital, were the first to describe the use of a soft lens material, which could be folded to go through a small incision.Arnott E.J., Packard R.B.S., & Garner A. Poly-Hema as a material for intraocular lens implantation - a preliminary report. B.J.O. 65. (1981) In 1988 Arnott was the first surgeon to insert a bi-focal lens implant in Europe.
Following cataract removal, it used to be common for patients to require thick pebble glasses to be able to see. Nowadays, virtually all patients receive a lens implant following cataract surgery, avoiding the need for glasses.
Other contributions Arnott was also responsible for introducing other surgical techniques.
In 1966 he was amongst the first surgeons in the world to follow Dermot Pearce's use of the surgical microscope.1978 Nursing Mirror Nov. 30-34 E J Arnott & M C W Treplin; Surgical use of the microscope in ophthalmics
In 1967 he and Paddy Condon, his then senior registrar, used the first silicone implant for retinal detachment surgery.
In 1968 he modified the final approach to glaucoma surgery by making the opening into the anterior chamber through the clear cornea, as opposed to the previous dialysis approach.
In 1976 he and Jared Emery of Houston, Texas, invented the diamond tipped "spear headed" surgical knife for making the phaco incision and in 1978 he was the first surgeon to perform a combined phaco cataract and glaucoma operation.
Arnott was very early in recognising the new trend of laser refractive surgery to correct myopia (shortsightedness). He acquired one of the first excimer lasers, which he located in Cromwell Hospital in 1991, where his private practice was based. In 1992 he was the first person in the UK to perform LASIK.Scotland on Sunday, The Times, Guardian (13 December 1992)
In 2000 Arnott received an award from the International Intra-Ocular Implant Club - the IIIC Medal, at the club's annual autumn meeting in Brussels, Belgium.
Charity work
In 1982 he reduced his work in the NHS (from maximum part-time) to four sessions a week and began concentrating on charitable work at the Royal Masonic Hospital, London, (where he remained an honorary consultant until 1994) and international teaching commitments.
Over the course of his career, Arnott lectured and performed live surgery throughout the world, paying particular attention to the Asian and African continents where cataracts are most prevalent.
In 1984 he was one of the first surgeons to demonstrate phaco surgery and lens implantation in India and in 1991 he received a special award from the Asian branch of the Royal National Institute for the Blind for "outstanding support" to blind Asians in London and India. The same award was presented a year later to his son Stephen, who managed Arnott's private practice. In 1996, Arnott was invited to officially open the first meeting of the Indian Academy of Ophthalmology, and in 1998 he was made an honorary visiting Professor at Indore University.
After Arnott's retirement in 1999, with the help of his wife Veronica and son Stephen, he raised funds to fund and equip a mobile operating theatre to perform modern eye surgery in remote Indian villages. This project was undertaken in conjunction with the Sathya Sai Institute.Ocular Surgery News – 15 October 1999
Along with Dr G Chandra, he established the charity organisation 'Balrampur Hospital Foundation UK' in 2007 and served as a trustee and its president.
Medical societies Arnott was a member of many international ophthalmic societies and was the founder President of the European Society for Phaco and Laser Surgery (1986–89), Secretary of the Ophthalmic Society of the United Kingdom (1967 – 1968), President of the Chelsea Clinical Society (1985) and President of the International Association of Ocular Surgeons (1983).
He was also one of the original founder members of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
In 2007 Arnott received the Honoured Guest award from the ASCRS for his services to ophthalmology.American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS)
Publications He wrote over 40 published scientific articles for British and foreign ophthalmic journals on strabismus surgery, congenital abnormalities, cataract extraction, Phaco-emulsification and intra-ocular lenses.Publications • 1964 B.J.O. Vol. 48 E J Arnott; Ocular movement in homocystinuria • 1977 Trans.ophthal.Soc. U.K. (1977) 97,60. E J Arnott; Kelman phacoemulsification - Results & Complications • 1978 Nursing Mirror Nov. 30-34 E J Arnott & M C W Treplin; Surgical use of the microscope in ophthalmics • 1981 Trans. Ophthal. Soc. UK E J Arnott; Intraocular implants • 1981 B.J.O. 65 E J Arnott, R B S Packard, A Garner; Poly-Hema as a material for intraocular lens implantation - a preliminary report • 1982 B.J.O. Vol. 4 No. 2 E J Arnott; Consideration for lens implantation in patients with glaucoma • 1983 Cataract Journal Vol. 1 No. 3 E J Arnott; Refinement of ECCE and IOL design for posterior chamber lens implantation • 1983 Midwife Health Visit Community Nurse May: 20(5)184-93 E J Arnott; The development and treatment of cataracts • 1984 Trans. Medical Soc. London E J Arnott; Ophthalmology - Recent advances in cataract surgery • 1984 Cataract Journal Vol. 1 No. 3 E J Arnott; Refinement of ECCE and lens design of PC-IOL implantation • 1984 J. Oc. Ther. & Surg. Vol. 3 No 4. E J Arnott and A Garner; Concepts of posterior capsular fixation for posterior chamber lens implantation • 1985 Cataract Journal June E J Arnott, R W Condon & P Desai; Primary infantile glaucoma • 1985 AIOIS Journal Jun/Jul E J Arnott; Primary, secondary capsulotomy inversely related • 1985 Proceedings of the VII Congress European Soc. of Ophthal. E J Arnott & G Chandra; Posterior chamber lens implant in glaucoma • 1985 Cataract Journal Vol. 2 No. 8 E J Arnott & R Condon; TELL - 3-year follow up of 1800 cases from Aug 1982 - Aug 1985 • 1985 Hospital Doctor 12 December E J Arnott article; Future looks bright for cataract patients • 1985 Cataract Journal Vol. 2 No. 8 October; Editorial by E J Arnott • 1985 Glaucoma 7:188-189 E J Arnott; Insertion of posterior chamber implants and glaucoma • 1986 Ocular Surgery News Vol. 4 No 14 July pg 31 E J Arnott; Cataract/implant precedes ALT in glaucoma approach • 1986 Ophthalmology Times E J Arnott; article on cataract extraction & lens implantation on patients with glaucoma followed by laser trabeculoplasty • 1986 Ophthalmology Times E J Arnott; article on cataract extraction & lens implantation and relationship to retinal detachment • 1986 Proc. XXV Int. Cong. Ophthal. May; E J Arnott & G Chandra • 1988 Ocular Surgery News Vol. 6 No. 22 E J Arnott; contribution to "Phaco overview: what lies ahead" • 1988 Ophthalmology Times Vol. 13 No. 18 E J Arnott; article on cataract extraction and lens implantation on children • 1988 J. Cat. Refract. Surg. Vol. 14 Jul. E J Arnott, C J F Grindle & G M Krolman; Four and one-half-year study of the relationship between one-piece encircling loop PMMA lenses and retinal detachment • 1989 Eur. J. Implant Ref. Surg. Vol. 1 E J Arnott; Lens Decentration • 1989 January J. Cat. & Ref. Surgery; Response to Dr Blumenthal’s letter re one-piece TELL lens implant • 1989 Ocular Surgery news Vol. 7 No. 19 E J Arnott; Operative profile • 1989 November J. Cat. Ref. Surgery E J Arnott; Contribution to consultation section edited by Dr S Masket re nucleus handling for small pupil