Improved streak retinoscope

Historical Significance: Reference to the Reid streak retinoscope is made in 1939 in Arch Ophthalmol. 1939;21(5):833-843 in a paper by W Z Rundles on streak retinoscopy. Retinoscopy had its origins in the 1880s. Streak retinscopy was developed in the early 1920s. French ophthalmologist Ferdinand Cuignet (b.1823) used a simple ophthalmoscope to qualitatively assess the different retinal reflex movements associated with different refractive errors in 1873. In 1878 his pupil M.Mengin published an accurate theoretical explanation, proving Landolt's suggestion that the source of the reflex was the fundus rather than the cornea. In 1880, H. Parent (1849-1924) showed it was possible to measure the exact amount of refractive error using lenses to neutralize the movement of the reflex. He coined the term retinoscopie. The father of streak retinoscopy was Jack C. Copeland (1900-1973) who introduced the first variable vergence streak retinoscope in the early 1920s, apparently after accidentally damaging the bulb of a Wolff Spot retinoscope when he dropped it. He patented his design in 1927. The instrument produced its own linear beam, which could rotate through all the ocular meridians to better measure astigmatic refractive errors.