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Advances in Ophthalmology
113
BOOK REVIEWS
VOL. 81, NO. 1
ages are acetazolamide, 500 mg orally, and hydrochlorothiazide, 50 mg orally. G. B. BIETTI,
M.D.
M. VIRNO,
M.D.
J. PECORI-GIRALDI, P H . D .
Rome, Italy N. PELLEGRINO, P H . D .
Pomezia, Italy KERATOMYCOSIS D U E TO AN
Alternaria
4. Gilman, J. C. : A Manual of Soil Fungi. Ames, Iowa, Iowa State University Press, 1971, p. 346. 5. Barnett, H. L., and Hunter, B. B. : Illustrated Genera of Imperfect Fungi. Minneapolis, Burgess Publishing Company, 1972, p. 128. 6. Hazen, E. L., Gordon, M. A., and Reed, F. C. : Laboratory Identification of Pathogenic Fungi Simplified. Springfield, 111., Charles C Thomas, 1970, p. 188. 7. Simmons, E. C. : Typification of Alternaria, Stemphylium, and Ulocladium. Mycologia. 59:67, 1967.
SPECIES
Editor: I wish to disagree with a point made by P. Azar, J. Aquavella, and R. Smith in their paper "Keratomycosis due to an Alternaria species" (Am. J. Ophthalmol. 79:881, 1975). The authors state that "the presence of hyphae and budding yeast forms in the keratoplasty specimen gave further con firmation to the diagnosis." This statement implies that the genus Alternaria possesses the property of dimorphism—the ability to grow either as yeast forms or mycelium forms depending on the environment. Alternia does not possess this property.1"6 In laboratory culture, the conidium (a porospore) originates as an outgrowth of proto plasm through a discrete pore in the apical wall of a sporogenous cell.7 This results in conidia formed in chains and is termed acropetal budding; not to be confused with budding of one-celled fungi (yeast forms). In histopathologic examination ( P A S and Gridley stains) of tissue infected with Alternaria one would find septated mycelial forms but not budding yeast forms. J O H N H. BRINSER,
B.A.
Tampa, Florida REFERENCES
1. Alexopoclos, C. J. : Introductory Mycology. New York, Harper and Row, 1962, p. 415. 2. Ellis, M. B.: Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. England, Commonwealth Mycological Institute, 1971, p. 464. 3. Beneke, E. S.: Medical Mycology Laboratory Manual. Minneapolis, Burgess Publishing Company, 1968, p. 16.
BOOK R E V I E W S ADVANCES
IN
OPHTHALMOLOGY,
vol.
29.
Edited by M. J. Roper-Hall, H. Sautter, and E. B. Streiff. S. Karger A. G., Basel, Switzerland, 1975. Clothbound, 216 pages, table of contents, index, 113 black and white figures. $47.50 This book contains two reviews and two original contributions. The first review deals with the effects of prostaglandins on ocular tissues. This is an excellent summary and Professor Perkins stresses especially the effect of the prostaglandins on intraocular pressure. He emphasizes that the release of prostaglandin after trauma is the cause for the rising intraocular pressure in these eyes. This may not only occur in the affected eye, but may also have a consensual effect. The role of prostaglandins in ocular inflamma tions is certainly an important one. The second review gives an up-to-date re port on vitreous surgery. It is by Dr. Machemer and associates from the Univer sity of Miami. Essentially the same article appeared previously (Ophthalmic Surgery 5:13, 1974). One original paper by Dominguez and associates of Madrid is on electric tonometry in the newborn. This was done on infant eyes without general anesthesia, avoiding any kind of drugs. It was performed using the MacKay-Marg tonometer. Six hundred four eyes were measured and the mean intraocular pressure was 13.03 mm Hg. Quick and continuous variations of the
114
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
babies' intraocular pressure were observed. The authors point out that the electronic tonometer has to be restandardized (using the Goldmann tonometer as the standard) and that it is difficult to use in babies. Much experience is necessary before reliable re sults can be obtained. For the standard clini cal use they prefer manual applanation tonometers. The last part of the book is the report on a symposium on retinal and choroidal vascularizations and their importance for the in traocular pressure. The symposium was held at the University of Hamburg Nov. 23, 1972. All the participants were German scientists with the exception of Professor Niesel from the University of Bern. Many of the papers and discussions are of a highly sophisticated nature and obviously of great importance to anyone who is seriously in terested in the basic problems of retinal and choroidal vascularization. Niesel, for ex ample, reports on his new method to de termine circulation time in the retinal vessels, using two glass threads put on two points in the course of a retinal artery and connected with a photomultiplier. The dilution of an injected dye, for example fluorescein, can then be measured over these two areas of the retinal arteriole. Kaufmann and his coworkers from the University of Bonn report on their long-term experiments and studies on the influence of blood gases on the intra ocular pressure. In elegant ways they have shown that the partial C 0 2 pressure in the arteries corresponds to similar changes in the ocular pressure, whereas the partial oxy gen pressure is in a reverse relation to the intraocular pressure. Podesta and Riehm from Hamburg describe their method to determine and measure the circulation of blood through the retinal capillaries by entoptic phenomena. Weigelin describes his highly sophisticated mechanical-physical model for the study of the blood pressure and extravascular fluid movements in the uvea and the retina. F. C. BLODI
JANUARY, 1976
OPHTHALMOLOGY STUDY GUIDE FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS. By the Association of Uni versity Professors of Ophthalmology. Rochester, Minnesota, American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, 1975. Paperbound, 139 pages, 1 black and white figure. $3.25
This concisely written, easy-to-read study guide outlines the most important concepts of diagnosis and management in eye care. The book focuses its attention on seven of the most commonly encountered oph thalmic disorders: visual acuity, ophthalmoscopy, glaucoma, red eye, ocular injuries, amblyopia and strabismus, and neuroophthalmology. These topics are interwoven by cross-references through their differen tial diagnoses. A clearly stated study objective intro duces each topic followed by instructions of goal-achieving and discussions arranged in the order of relevant facts, examination procedures, interpretive information, man agement, recommendations for treatment or referral, and results illustrated with clinical examples. Tables on symptoms, questions and answers, and illustrative diagrams are also included. The volume provides sufficient informa tion to handle a wide spectrum of clinical encounters from reduction of visual acuity, danger signs in the red eye, to neurologic disorders. Though it must be used concurrently with textbooks of ophthalmology and self-in structional units, the book gives the reader enough background to investigate each topic in depth further through the many reference lists included. This study guide is valuable to both the student and the primary physician. It gives the former a proper perspective on oph thalmology and the latter a framework for treatment or referral. To the student, furthermore, the topics on neuro-ophthalmology, amblyopia and strabismus, and ocular injuries will also prove valuable for
BOOK REVIEWS
VOL. 81, NO. 1
ages are acetazolamide, 500 mg orally, and hydrochlorothiazide, 50 mg orally. G. B. BIETTI,
M.D.
M. VIRNO,
M.D.
J. PECORI-GIRALDI, P H . D .
Rome, Italy N. PELLEGRINO, P H . D .
Pomezia, Italy KERATOMYCOSIS D U E TO AN
Alternaria
4. Gilman, J. C. : A Manual of Soil Fungi. Ames, Iowa, Iowa State University Press, 1971, p. 346. 5. Barnett, H. L., and Hunter, B. B. : Illustrated Genera of Imperfect Fungi. Minneapolis, Burgess Publishing Company, 1972, p. 128. 6. Hazen, E. L., Gordon, M. A., and Reed, F. C. : Laboratory Identification of Pathogenic Fungi Simplified. Springfield, 111., Charles C Thomas, 1970, p. 188. 7. Simmons, E. C. : Typification of Alternaria, Stemphylium, and Ulocladium. Mycologia. 59:67, 1967.
SPECIES
Editor: I wish to disagree with a point made by P. Azar, J. Aquavella, and R. Smith in their paper "Keratomycosis due to an Alternaria species" (Am. J. Ophthalmol. 79:881, 1975). The authors state that "the presence of hyphae and budding yeast forms in the keratoplasty specimen gave further con firmation to the diagnosis." This statement implies that the genus Alternaria possesses the property of dimorphism—the ability to grow either as yeast forms or mycelium forms depending on the environment. Alternia does not possess this property.1"6 In laboratory culture, the conidium (a porospore) originates as an outgrowth of proto plasm through a discrete pore in the apical wall of a sporogenous cell.7 This results in conidia formed in chains and is termed acropetal budding; not to be confused with budding of one-celled fungi (yeast forms). In histopathologic examination ( P A S and Gridley stains) of tissue infected with Alternaria one would find septated mycelial forms but not budding yeast forms. J O H N H. BRINSER,
B.A.
Tampa, Florida REFERENCES
1. Alexopoclos, C. J. : Introductory Mycology. New York, Harper and Row, 1962, p. 415. 2. Ellis, M. B.: Dematiaceous Hyphomycetes. England, Commonwealth Mycological Institute, 1971, p. 464. 3. Beneke, E. S.: Medical Mycology Laboratory Manual. Minneapolis, Burgess Publishing Company, 1968, p. 16.
BOOK R E V I E W S ADVANCES
IN
OPHTHALMOLOGY,
vol.
29.
Edited by M. J. Roper-Hall, H. Sautter, and E. B. Streiff. S. Karger A. G., Basel, Switzerland, 1975. Clothbound, 216 pages, table of contents, index, 113 black and white figures. $47.50 This book contains two reviews and two original contributions. The first review deals with the effects of prostaglandins on ocular tissues. This is an excellent summary and Professor Perkins stresses especially the effect of the prostaglandins on intraocular pressure. He emphasizes that the release of prostaglandin after trauma is the cause for the rising intraocular pressure in these eyes. This may not only occur in the affected eye, but may also have a consensual effect. The role of prostaglandins in ocular inflamma tions is certainly an important one. The second review gives an up-to-date re port on vitreous surgery. It is by Dr. Machemer and associates from the Univer sity of Miami. Essentially the same article appeared previously (Ophthalmic Surgery 5:13, 1974). One original paper by Dominguez and associates of Madrid is on electric tonometry in the newborn. This was done on infant eyes without general anesthesia, avoiding any kind of drugs. It was performed using the MacKay-Marg tonometer. Six hundred four eyes were measured and the mean intraocular pressure was 13.03 mm Hg. Quick and continuous variations of the
114
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
babies' intraocular pressure were observed. The authors point out that the electronic tonometer has to be restandardized (using the Goldmann tonometer as the standard) and that it is difficult to use in babies. Much experience is necessary before reliable re sults can be obtained. For the standard clini cal use they prefer manual applanation tonometers. The last part of the book is the report on a symposium on retinal and choroidal vascularizations and their importance for the in traocular pressure. The symposium was held at the University of Hamburg Nov. 23, 1972. All the participants were German scientists with the exception of Professor Niesel from the University of Bern. Many of the papers and discussions are of a highly sophisticated nature and obviously of great importance to anyone who is seriously in terested in the basic problems of retinal and choroidal vascularization. Niesel, for ex ample, reports on his new method to de termine circulation time in the retinal vessels, using two glass threads put on two points in the course of a retinal artery and connected with a photomultiplier. The dilution of an injected dye, for example fluorescein, can then be measured over these two areas of the retinal arteriole. Kaufmann and his coworkers from the University of Bonn report on their long-term experiments and studies on the influence of blood gases on the intra ocular pressure. In elegant ways they have shown that the partial C 0 2 pressure in the arteries corresponds to similar changes in the ocular pressure, whereas the partial oxy gen pressure is in a reverse relation to the intraocular pressure. Podesta and Riehm from Hamburg describe their method to determine and measure the circulation of blood through the retinal capillaries by entoptic phenomena. Weigelin describes his highly sophisticated mechanical-physical model for the study of the blood pressure and extravascular fluid movements in the uvea and the retina. F. C. BLODI
JANUARY, 1976
OPHTHALMOLOGY STUDY GUIDE FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS. By the Association of Uni versity Professors of Ophthalmology. Rochester, Minnesota, American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, 1975. Paperbound, 139 pages, 1 black and white figure. $3.25
This concisely written, easy-to-read study guide outlines the most important concepts of diagnosis and management in eye care. The book focuses its attention on seven of the most commonly encountered oph thalmic disorders: visual acuity, ophthalmoscopy, glaucoma, red eye, ocular injuries, amblyopia and strabismus, and neuroophthalmology. These topics are interwoven by cross-references through their differen tial diagnoses. A clearly stated study objective intro duces each topic followed by instructions of goal-achieving and discussions arranged in the order of relevant facts, examination procedures, interpretive information, man agement, recommendations for treatment or referral, and results illustrated with clinical examples. Tables on symptoms, questions and answers, and illustrative diagrams are also included. The volume provides sufficient informa tion to handle a wide spectrum of clinical encounters from reduction of visual acuity, danger signs in the red eye, to neurologic disorders. Though it must be used concurrently with textbooks of ophthalmology and self-in structional units, the book gives the reader enough background to investigate each topic in depth further through the many reference lists included. This study guide is valuable to both the student and the primary physician. It gives the former a proper perspective on oph thalmology and the latter a framework for treatment or referral. To the student, furthermore, the topics on neuro-ophthalmology, amblyopia and strabismus, and ocular injuries will also prove valuable for