This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.
Ottoman civilization, eye health and eye diseases have been an important field not only as individual health issues but also as a reflection of the development of medicine practices and the medical understanding of the era. Surviving portraits of sultans, miniatures, and written medical texts provide significant information regarding these practices and knowledge about eye health. Visual and written sources reveal how observed symptoms were defined, which treatment methods were applied, and how these practices were integrated into medical practice.
Portraits and written sources indicate that certain eye disorders were common within the Ottoman dynasty. Particularly congenital ptosis and strabismus frequently appear in both portraits and biographical records. These findings offer critical insights to medical historians on how Ottoman physicians observed and documented eye diseases.
Representative Book on Eye Diseases (Generated with the Aid of Artificial Intelligence)
In the treatment of eye health problems, observation and experience were paramount. For instance, Şerefeddin Sabuncuoğlu’s work Cerrahiyet-ül Haniye provides a detailed account of the Ottoman medical approach to eye diseases and various treatment methods. Sabuncuoğlu developed observation-based techniques for conditions ranging from ptosis to pterygium and cataract, and documented them in writing.
On the other hand, the book “The Key to the Light of the Eye and the Treasures of Joy” addresses in detail conditions such as conjunctival diseases and eye muscle movements. These works are among the key sources that reveal both the scientific and practical dimensions of eye health practices in Ottoman medicine. Additionally, Mürşid and related printed texts demonstrate the theoretical and practical knowledge accumulated during the period regarding eye diseases.
The methods described by Sabuncuoğlu and other sources, although not expressed in terms of modern medical understanding, illustrate how physicians of the time observed eye diseases, which techniques they employed, and how carefully they conducted their examinations. Visual documents and written records emphasize not only the treatment of eye diseases but also the importance of scientific observation and experience.
During this period, practices concerning eye health were based both on individual experience and systematic observation. Changes and symptoms identified through observation were recorded, and recommendations and treatment methods were documented in writing. Thus, knowledge and practice regarding eye health were transmitted from generation to generation, both within the palace and in broader society.
Representative Ottoman Physician Performing Surgical Intervention (Generated with the Aid of Artificial Intelligence)
Miniatures, portraits, and medical books are not merely aesthetic or artistic documents for understanding Ottoman medicine’s practices in eye health. These sources are also regarded as significant historical records that bear traces of scientific observation and application. Details in the visuals and the written texts reveal the observational acuity and knowledge transmission capabilities of physicians of the time.
In summary, knowledge about eye health in the Ottoman period gains meaning through a comprehensive evaluation of both visual and written sources. These sources not only reflect medical practices of the past but also provide valuable information for modern studies in medicine and the history of science.
Eye Health and Eye Diseases in the Ottoman Dynasty
Recording Approaches and Treatment Practices for Eye Diseases
The Value of Visual and Written Documents