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Extracapsular Cataract Surgery
858
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
Ophthalmic Lasers, 2nd ed. By Francis A. L'Espérance, Jr. St. Louis, C. V. Mosby Company, 1983. Hardcover, 606 pages, index, 815 black and white figures. $81.50 The author, Dr. L'Espérance, is one of the pioneers in the use of lasers in oph thalmology. In this text he describes the full spectrum of lasers and their many ocular applications. The book is divided into two parts: laser technology and clini cal applications; and photocoagulation, photovaporization, and photoradiation techniques. The first section alone would justify publication, since it contains much data on ocular lasers, laser interaction with ocular tissues, and clinically available de livery systems. The portion of the book on clinical applications of lasers is encyclopedic in its scope. One misses inclusion of statis tics on the author's results with laser treatment of different conditions. Nonstandard retinal disease classifications in cluding subclassifications of NVD and glial proliferations are used. References are absent from the macular disease and retinal vascular occlusion sections and could be more extensive in the section on diabetic retinopathy. Indications suggest ed for treatment are at times controver sial, for example, serous detachments of the macular retinal pigment epithelium. Treatment techniques themselves are well described. Highlights of this portion include new experimental approaches with photochemotherapy and with the CO2 laser in the treatment of choroidal tumors and the chapter on treatment of glaucoma and anterior segment diseases. Ophthalmic Lasers epitomizes the au thor's search for new laser technology and its imaginative applications in ophthal mology. I recommend it to all ophthal mologists for interest, entertainment, and education. H U N T E R L.
LITTLE
JUNE, 1983
Extracapsular Cataract Surgery. By Jared M. Emery and David J. Mclntyre. St. Louis, C. V. Mosby Company, 1983. Hardcover, 418 pages, bibliography, index, 499 black and white illustrations and 227 color plates. $115 As an instruction manual and surgical atlas this book is superb. The combined experience of these two authors provides valuable diversity and flexibility of tech nique. Each step of the procedure is described with exquisite detail and clari ty and with a depth of understanding that attests to the authors' experience. Excel lent diagrams are combined with photo graphs illustrating the positioning of the hands and with high resolution color pho tographs taken through the operating mi croscope. Chapter titles such as "Inci sion," "Anterior capsulectomy," "Wound extension," "Removal of nucleus," and the like illustrate the manner in which each step of the procedure is given full attention. The sections on phacoemulsification have several additional benefits. A chap ter on the Kelman system gives a com plete description of the instrumentation, how to set it up, and how to check it preoperatively. The variations of the pha coemulsification technique are presented in a way that allows an understanding of its evolution over the past decade. Whereas the chapters on instrumenta tion and technique, which make up over 90% of the book, are superb, a few chap ters indicating the authors' opinions and preferences are somewhat arbitrary and therefore less authoritative. They detract somewhat from the strength of the book. These chapters include "General con siderations," "Indications and contra indications," "Patient selection," and "Preoperative preparation." Statements sometimes made as fact are unproven opinions. Examples are the one-sided praise of the outpatient surgical suite based in the surgeon's office; the state ment, "A pseudophakic 20/40 is better
VOL. 95, NO. 6
BOOK REVIEWS
than an aphakic (with contact lens) 20/20"; that "the presence of corneal (endothelial) disease is a strong indication for extracapsular cataract extraction"; and that "current data on modern extracapsu lar technique suggest a reduction in de tachment rate to about 0.5 per cent" (from 1 to 2% in intracapsular tech niques). The routine preoperative and postoperative order sheets also illustrate many arbitrary personal preferences, for example, the routine use of postoperative systemic antibiotics. The above criticisms, however, apply to a small portion of this otherwise excel lent and extremely timely book. Anyone, either in residency or in practice, who is learning the extracapsular technique will find it valuable. ALEXANDER R. IRVINE
Computed Tomography. An Atlas for Ophthalmologists. By Jonathan D. Wirtschafter and Saul Taylor. San Fran cisco, American Academy of Ophthal mology Manuals Program, 1982. Softcover, 75 pages, 54 black and white figures, index. $17.50 for members; $22.00 for non-members The atlas is part of a series of manuals published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology for use by clinical oph thalmologists and resident physicians in training. The scope of this sparse atlas is limited to basic, normal computed to mography anatomy. This monograph is divided into three parts: the globe and orbital structures, the visual pathway, and the structures of the base of the skull and posterior fossa. The technical factors required to produce the computed tomograms are briefly discussed in the introduction. The authors have chosen the canthomeatal line as the reference line for the primary imaging plane, the axial plane. This is an efficient and easily reproducible plane for orbital scanning, although other authors have chosen a
859
plane parallel to Reid's base line (infraorbital-meatal line), a nearby plane parallel to the course of the optic nerves. The illustrations are all high in quality, although the technical factors pertaining to the individual computed tomographic slice are lacking. The radiation burden experienced by the patient during scan ning is not discussed. The anatomic sec tions are well labeled and succinctly de scribed. The last part of the monograph demon strates structures in the posterior fossa including the base of the skull, temporal bone, and cranial nerves. Although admit tedly complex, the anatomic details shown are truly remarkable and essential to the understanding of morbid changes. The authors have succeeded in provid ing a concise, high quality primer of the morphology of the normal orbit, visual pathway, and skull base which can be depicted by computed tomography. It is a handy reference for understanding how ophthalmological diseases alter normal anatomy. EUGENE DUDA
The Intraocular Lens. By Robert L. Stamper and Alan Sugar. San Francis co, American Academy of Ophthalmol ogy Manuals Program, 1982. Softcover, 105 pages, 19 black and white figures, 14 color figures. $17.50 for members; $22.00 for non-members The Intraocular Lens, by Stamper and Sugar, is a well written and up-to-date paperback manual that succinctly pre sents the pertinent developments of in traocular lens implantation from 1795, when Casaameta first attempted a lens implant, to current usage. Although it is not a how-to book, this manual gives excellent brief summaries of each of the most important references. Thus, it will be valuable to all ophthal mologists from the resident to the experi enced surgeon.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
Ophthalmic Lasers, 2nd ed. By Francis A. L'Espérance, Jr. St. Louis, C. V. Mosby Company, 1983. Hardcover, 606 pages, index, 815 black and white figures. $81.50 The author, Dr. L'Espérance, is one of the pioneers in the use of lasers in oph thalmology. In this text he describes the full spectrum of lasers and their many ocular applications. The book is divided into two parts: laser technology and clini cal applications; and photocoagulation, photovaporization, and photoradiation techniques. The first section alone would justify publication, since it contains much data on ocular lasers, laser interaction with ocular tissues, and clinically available de livery systems. The portion of the book on clinical applications of lasers is encyclopedic in its scope. One misses inclusion of statis tics on the author's results with laser treatment of different conditions. Nonstandard retinal disease classifications in cluding subclassifications of NVD and glial proliferations are used. References are absent from the macular disease and retinal vascular occlusion sections and could be more extensive in the section on diabetic retinopathy. Indications suggest ed for treatment are at times controver sial, for example, serous detachments of the macular retinal pigment epithelium. Treatment techniques themselves are well described. Highlights of this portion include new experimental approaches with photochemotherapy and with the CO2 laser in the treatment of choroidal tumors and the chapter on treatment of glaucoma and anterior segment diseases. Ophthalmic Lasers epitomizes the au thor's search for new laser technology and its imaginative applications in ophthal mology. I recommend it to all ophthal mologists for interest, entertainment, and education. H U N T E R L.
LITTLE
JUNE, 1983
Extracapsular Cataract Surgery. By Jared M. Emery and David J. Mclntyre. St. Louis, C. V. Mosby Company, 1983. Hardcover, 418 pages, bibliography, index, 499 black and white illustrations and 227 color plates. $115 As an instruction manual and surgical atlas this book is superb. The combined experience of these two authors provides valuable diversity and flexibility of tech nique. Each step of the procedure is described with exquisite detail and clari ty and with a depth of understanding that attests to the authors' experience. Excel lent diagrams are combined with photo graphs illustrating the positioning of the hands and with high resolution color pho tographs taken through the operating mi croscope. Chapter titles such as "Inci sion," "Anterior capsulectomy," "Wound extension," "Removal of nucleus," and the like illustrate the manner in which each step of the procedure is given full attention. The sections on phacoemulsification have several additional benefits. A chap ter on the Kelman system gives a com plete description of the instrumentation, how to set it up, and how to check it preoperatively. The variations of the pha coemulsification technique are presented in a way that allows an understanding of its evolution over the past decade. Whereas the chapters on instrumenta tion and technique, which make up over 90% of the book, are superb, a few chap ters indicating the authors' opinions and preferences are somewhat arbitrary and therefore less authoritative. They detract somewhat from the strength of the book. These chapters include "General con siderations," "Indications and contra indications," "Patient selection," and "Preoperative preparation." Statements sometimes made as fact are unproven opinions. Examples are the one-sided praise of the outpatient surgical suite based in the surgeon's office; the state ment, "A pseudophakic 20/40 is better
VOL. 95, NO. 6
BOOK REVIEWS
than an aphakic (with contact lens) 20/20"; that "the presence of corneal (endothelial) disease is a strong indication for extracapsular cataract extraction"; and that "current data on modern extracapsu lar technique suggest a reduction in de tachment rate to about 0.5 per cent" (from 1 to 2% in intracapsular tech niques). The routine preoperative and postoperative order sheets also illustrate many arbitrary personal preferences, for example, the routine use of postoperative systemic antibiotics. The above criticisms, however, apply to a small portion of this otherwise excel lent and extremely timely book. Anyone, either in residency or in practice, who is learning the extracapsular technique will find it valuable. ALEXANDER R. IRVINE
Computed Tomography. An Atlas for Ophthalmologists. By Jonathan D. Wirtschafter and Saul Taylor. San Fran cisco, American Academy of Ophthal mology Manuals Program, 1982. Softcover, 75 pages, 54 black and white figures, index. $17.50 for members; $22.00 for non-members The atlas is part of a series of manuals published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology for use by clinical oph thalmologists and resident physicians in training. The scope of this sparse atlas is limited to basic, normal computed to mography anatomy. This monograph is divided into three parts: the globe and orbital structures, the visual pathway, and the structures of the base of the skull and posterior fossa. The technical factors required to produce the computed tomograms are briefly discussed in the introduction. The authors have chosen the canthomeatal line as the reference line for the primary imaging plane, the axial plane. This is an efficient and easily reproducible plane for orbital scanning, although other authors have chosen a
859
plane parallel to Reid's base line (infraorbital-meatal line), a nearby plane parallel to the course of the optic nerves. The illustrations are all high in quality, although the technical factors pertaining to the individual computed tomographic slice are lacking. The radiation burden experienced by the patient during scan ning is not discussed. The anatomic sec tions are well labeled and succinctly de scribed. The last part of the monograph demon strates structures in the posterior fossa including the base of the skull, temporal bone, and cranial nerves. Although admit tedly complex, the anatomic details shown are truly remarkable and essential to the understanding of morbid changes. The authors have succeeded in provid ing a concise, high quality primer of the morphology of the normal orbit, visual pathway, and skull base which can be depicted by computed tomography. It is a handy reference for understanding how ophthalmological diseases alter normal anatomy. EUGENE DUDA
The Intraocular Lens. By Robert L. Stamper and Alan Sugar. San Francis co, American Academy of Ophthalmol ogy Manuals Program, 1982. Softcover, 105 pages, 19 black and white figures, 14 color figures. $17.50 for members; $22.00 for non-members The Intraocular Lens, by Stamper and Sugar, is a well written and up-to-date paperback manual that succinctly pre sents the pertinent developments of in traocular lens implantation from 1795, when Casaameta first attempted a lens implant, to current usage. Although it is not a how-to book, this manual gives excellent brief summaries of each of the most important references. Thus, it will be valuable to all ophthal mologists from the resident to the experi enced surgeon.