Computerized Visual Fields
R A Hitchings · British Journal of Ophthalmology · 1986
formerly consultant ophthalmic surgeon at the Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital, died suddenly on 25 June 1985 aged 69 years.He was born and educated in Lodz, Poland, and started his medical studies in Wilno.These were interrupted by the Russian occupation of East Poland at the beginning of the second world war, but with incredible boldness and enterprise he managed to leave in order to join the Polish Forces in the Middle East.There he was given the chance to complete his medical training at the University of Beirut.Afterwards he rejoined the Polish Forces as medical officer attached to an artillery unit in Italy.He was well liked by the 'gunners,' and his courage in the field was rewarded by a Polish Military Cross.After demobilisation he started his ophthalmic special- isation in Sheffield, and having passed the DOMS and FRCS examinations he obtained a consultant post in Burton-on-Trent.He was enthusiastic in his work and had a passion for anything new and challenging.Having a large number of patients with squint, he devoted special interest to the surgery of the oblique ocular muscles, obtained considerable experience in this subject, and published his results.A few years later he was appointed a consultant in Birmingham.The new technique of cryosurgery appealed to him, and with the help of a low-temperature engineer he constructed a cryosurgical unit based on liquid nitrogen.He also became fascinated by fluorescein fundus angiography, and, master- ing this technique, he used it combined with the application of laser in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy and senile retinal dystrophy.Publishing his results, he gained inter- national recognition.Ruby was very helpful to his fellow colleagues and inspired many with his enthusiastic approach to ophthal- mology.For his friends Kazik's sense of humour was a most endearing feature and made him a perfect companion.His favourite sport was skiing in the Alps; later on he changed it to water skiing on the Mediterranean.It is tragic that soon after his retirement four years ago his health deteriorated and so he could not enjoy a golden autumn of his life with his wife Eileen and his sons Matthew and Stephen.JLR