Info:
Sterling Silver Coins
The crown features the anatomy of the eye on the reverse, together with the years '1965' and '2020', the words 'RETINAL CRYOPROBE', and the denomination 'R2'. On the obverse, the national coat of arms, the words 'South Africa' in all of the offficial languages, and the year of issue, '2020' are featured.
The reverse of the tickey depicts a gloved hand holding the retinal cryoprobe, the letters 'SPA' for 'Selig Percy Amoils', and the denomination '2½c'. The obverse shows a King Protea, the words 'South Africa', and the year '2020'
Selig Percy Amoils the inventor of the Retinal Cryoscope
Born, raised, and educated in Johannesburg, South Africa, Amoils briefly studied mechanical engineering prior to attending medical school at the University of Witwatersrand where he earned his MB and BCh in 1956. His specialist training was with Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary as a Clinical Fellow and research scientist specializing in retinal diseases and surgery and glaucoma.
He advanced cryosurgery for cataracts and retinal detachments during 1962 at Baragwanath hospital in Soweto. This led to the Joule-Thomson effect cryoprobe in 1965, using carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide to cool the probe, which could then be reheated electrically, or by warm gas to release the probe if the resulting iceball also adhered to the iris; this dramatically changed cataract and retinal surgery. Amoils achieved wide recognition for his invention and in 1975 received a Queen's Award for Technological Innovation. His cryoprobe has since been on display in the Kensington Museum in London.
In 1994, Amoils removed a cataract from South African President Nelson Mandela's left eye. In 2006, President Thabo Mbeki awarded him the silver Order of Mapungubwe for "excellence in the field of ophthalmology and for inspiring his colleagues in the field of science".
