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Opthalmic toxicology
Free Radical Biology & Medicine, Vol. 15, pp. 105-111, 1993
0891-5849/93 $6.00 + .00 Copyright © 1993 Pergamon Press Ltd.
Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
Book Reviews OPHTHALMIC TOXICOLOGY 328 pp. 1992. Price: $99.00 G E O R G E C. Y. CHIOU, EDITOR Raven Press, Ltd., New York, 1992 Reviewed by Peter J. Del Vecchio Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA
the Draize Test is often done. The author's discussion about predicting the toxicity of a particular substance is interesting. Chapter 6, by J. D. Bartlett, describes the ocular effects of systemic drugs and reviews pathologies, ocular manifestations, and patient management for each class of substance. The chapter is well organized and the accompanying photographs and drawings are helpful in depicting the various pathological changes. Chapter 7, by G. C. Y. Chiou, examines ophthalmic toxicity by local agents. This chapter describes the pathological effects of a large number of compounds but often does not go into detail about the mechanism of toxicity. The author compensates for this deficiency by providing 689 references, so the reader will have no trouble finding additional information on a particular agent. Chapter 8, by J. L. Way et al., describes the role of air pollutants in ocular toxicity. This chapter describes the major toxins in air pollutants and their effect on the eye. Chapter 9, by J. L. Way et al., describes the role of occupational hazards in ocular toxicity. This chapter refers the reader to another text for a comprehensive consideration of occupational hazards that have ocular effects, and focuses on a few chemicals which the authors consider particularly important. These toxins are discussed in some detail. Chapter 10, by L. C. Epner, reviews some of the clinical options in the treatment of ocular injuries caused by exposure to toxic substances. This book is generally well done. However, I believe that in some of the chapters that considered large numbers of toxic agents, it might have been better to present material in the form of tables. Some of the chapters might have been improved by the inclusion of photographs or diagrams.
Ophthalmic Toxicology is an extremely broad subject. There are a large number of chemicals that can have adverse effects on the eye. A comprehensive text on the subject would need to be extremely long, and ideally would include photographs to illustrate the pathologies associated with exposure to toxic substances. However, this short text has its place as an introduction to the subject and it covers some of the topics quite well. The book is 10 chapters in length and begins with a history of the subject by K. Green that makes a good case for its importance. Chapter 1 also features a discussion of the Draize Test. The discussions about varying doses of test agents and the ability of the Test to predict toxicity in the human eye are interesting. The analysis of the relationship between in vivo and in vitro testing is particularly useful. Chapters 2 and 3, by N. J. Mellichamp, deal with the important topics of toxicity in specific ocular tissues and species specificity. A great deal of material is covered in the first of these chapters and one wonders if it would not have been better to consider fewer subjects in greater detail, so that mechanisms could be discussed. However, over 300 references are supplied and the reader will not be at a loss about where to go for further information on a particular topic. Chapter 3 deals with species specificity in a rational manner and makes the point that differences in the reaction of species to a toxic substance can be due to ocular albinism and differences in ocular circulation. Chapters 4 and 5, by B. H. Rohde, discuss in vivo and in vitro ophthalmic tests. The description of the toxic response in different ocular tissues is quite useful and is covered in appropriate detail. Chapter 5 focuses on the design of appropriate substitutes for the Draize Test. A number of in vitro methods are reviewed, some in great detail, and a comparison with 105
0891-5849/93 $6.00 + .00 Copyright © 1993 Pergamon Press Ltd.
Printed in the USA. All rights reserved.
Book Reviews OPHTHALMIC TOXICOLOGY 328 pp. 1992. Price: $99.00 G E O R G E C. Y. CHIOU, EDITOR Raven Press, Ltd., New York, 1992 Reviewed by Peter J. Del Vecchio Albany Medical College, Albany, NY 12208, USA
the Draize Test is often done. The author's discussion about predicting the toxicity of a particular substance is interesting. Chapter 6, by J. D. Bartlett, describes the ocular effects of systemic drugs and reviews pathologies, ocular manifestations, and patient management for each class of substance. The chapter is well organized and the accompanying photographs and drawings are helpful in depicting the various pathological changes. Chapter 7, by G. C. Y. Chiou, examines ophthalmic toxicity by local agents. This chapter describes the pathological effects of a large number of compounds but often does not go into detail about the mechanism of toxicity. The author compensates for this deficiency by providing 689 references, so the reader will have no trouble finding additional information on a particular agent. Chapter 8, by J. L. Way et al., describes the role of air pollutants in ocular toxicity. This chapter describes the major toxins in air pollutants and their effect on the eye. Chapter 9, by J. L. Way et al., describes the role of occupational hazards in ocular toxicity. This chapter refers the reader to another text for a comprehensive consideration of occupational hazards that have ocular effects, and focuses on a few chemicals which the authors consider particularly important. These toxins are discussed in some detail. Chapter 10, by L. C. Epner, reviews some of the clinical options in the treatment of ocular injuries caused by exposure to toxic substances. This book is generally well done. However, I believe that in some of the chapters that considered large numbers of toxic agents, it might have been better to present material in the form of tables. Some of the chapters might have been improved by the inclusion of photographs or diagrams.
Ophthalmic Toxicology is an extremely broad subject. There are a large number of chemicals that can have adverse effects on the eye. A comprehensive text on the subject would need to be extremely long, and ideally would include photographs to illustrate the pathologies associated with exposure to toxic substances. However, this short text has its place as an introduction to the subject and it covers some of the topics quite well. The book is 10 chapters in length and begins with a history of the subject by K. Green that makes a good case for its importance. Chapter 1 also features a discussion of the Draize Test. The discussions about varying doses of test agents and the ability of the Test to predict toxicity in the human eye are interesting. The analysis of the relationship between in vivo and in vitro testing is particularly useful. Chapters 2 and 3, by N. J. Mellichamp, deal with the important topics of toxicity in specific ocular tissues and species specificity. A great deal of material is covered in the first of these chapters and one wonders if it would not have been better to consider fewer subjects in greater detail, so that mechanisms could be discussed. However, over 300 references are supplied and the reader will not be at a loss about where to go for further information on a particular topic. Chapter 3 deals with species specificity in a rational manner and makes the point that differences in the reaction of species to a toxic substance can be due to ocular albinism and differences in ocular circulation. Chapters 4 and 5, by B. H. Rohde, discuss in vivo and in vitro ophthalmic tests. The description of the toxic response in different ocular tissues is quite useful and is covered in appropriate detail. Chapter 5 focuses on the design of appropriate substitutes for the Draize Test. A number of in vitro methods are reviewed, some in great detail, and a comparison with 105