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Synopsis of Ophthalmology
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
462 LECTURE
NOTES
ON
OPHTHALMOLOGY,
fourth ed. By Patrick D. Trevor-Roper. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1971. Clothbound, 104 pages, table of con tents, index, 66 black and white figures and 12 color figures. $4.50 This is the fourth edition of this slim book. Dr. Trevor-Roper has attempted to keep this book thin as one of its outstanding features. Obviously, such a little guide cannot tell med ical students all they might want to know about ophthalmology, but there are many larger books available for that. The present-day student, burdened by courses in ecology, community medicine, hu manities, and the usual stand-bys of medi cine, surgery, obstetrics, gynecology, pediat rics, psychiatry, does not have much time in his curriculum for the "cinderella" of special ties, namely, ophthalmology. It is to these harassed students that Trevor-Roper appeals. This book is less than 105 pages, including the index and introduction. He does give an adequate overview of ophthalmology which can be recommended to medical students and to general practitioners who are anxious to refresh their basic knowledge of clinical oph thalmology. It is difficult to edit a concise textbook but Patrick Trevor-Roper appears to have done it in this fourth edition, as well as when it was first published in 1960. He has tried to keep it up-to-date. The text is well printed. However, in the reviewer's copy, the photographic illustrations of acute iritis, acute glaucoma, and episcleritis are upside down, although these illustra tions are otherwise satisfactory. The author has included a copy of a photograph of nodu lar scleritis taken from Gifford's Textbook on Ophthalmology, but he still uses schematic color plates to illustrate acute glaucoma and acute iritis. Since he feels that this subject is important enough to discuss, perhaps it would be a good idea in future editions to display actual photographs of these not-too-uncom mon ophthalmic conditions. Most of the other illustrations are actual fundus or external photographs.
MARCH, 1972
In addition, in the second appendix are some ophthalmic questions from recent final examination papers in surgery at Cambridge, Oxford, London, for the conjoint examining boards of the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons. It is interest ing that most of these examinations require some knowledge of glaucoma and inflamma tions of the uveal tract ; proptosis, infection, and motility questions are asked in some ex aminations. This text certainly would pro vide adequate information in all of these areas. Irving H. Leopold
OPPORTUNITIES IN OPTICIANRY. By Russell
L. Stimson. New York, Vocational Guid ance Manuals, 1971. Paperback, 128 pages, table of contents, index. $1.95 This is one of a series of vocational guid ance manuals bound in paperback and de signed to provide the young with the infor mation needed to choose and plan their ca reers intelligently. The series covers some 30 fields, ranging from accounting to vocations in religion. This volume describes the scope of opticianry: how a prescription is filled, the education required, the path of advancement, and analysis of the job classifications. It will be helpful to young people interested in an important field. Frank W. Newell
SYNOPSIS OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, 3rd ed.
By
William H. Havener. St. Louis, C. V. Mosby, 1971. Clothbound, 553 pages, table of contents, index. $12.75 The basic textbook of ophthalmology, writ ten for students, continues to be an excellent general view. It is not, however, by any means a synopsis since its 553 pages of fine print cover a tremendous variety of material, much of it in detail. In fact, the one general criticism is that the author tried to do too much. The first two chapters covering the ocular
VOL. 73, NO. 3
BOOK REVIEWS
examination are excellent, although pédiatrie techniques are largely ignored. In chapter 16 the meaning of eye symptoms is discussed in fine fashion, and the book could benefit from the substitution of this superior material for chapter 3. Chapter 3 is the author's attempt to use the programmed text technique to teach ophthalmoscopy. This chapter fails both be cause there are too many questions and the fact that the author did not follow the pre scribed method of using an entire page for a single item. The method has been well worked out and should have been followed. The specific chapters on glaucoma, strabis mus, eyelids, and the like are excellent. The coverage of neuro-ophthalmology is good, al though the considerable material on the meth ods of visual field testing seems somewhat beyond the needs of the medical student. The treatment of uveitis is somewhat sparse for such an important area of ophthalmology, but in general the specific topics are discussed adequately. Finally, a basic textbook of this type should probably have an even larger glossary, although students will be pleased to find a more than adequate index. Regardless of its several shortcomings, this is an easy-to-read, informative basic textbook of ophthalmology. If television has not driven out the motivation and the ability of our stu dents to read, then they may profit from own ing and using this book. J. Terry Ernest
T H E LACRIMAL SYSTEM. By Everett R. Veirs. St. Louis, Mosby, 1971. Clothbound, 178 pages, table of contents, index, 166 black and white figures. $22.50 This book represents the proceedings of the First International Symposium held in Mexico City, March 6 and 7, 1970. The sym posium was organized to present "the latest advances in the nasolacrimal field and to dis seminate information that worldwide authori
463
ties have found useful in their practices." The book succeeds admirably in fulfilling the prin ciples of the symposium. Fourteen renowned experts in the field of lacrimal surgery and investigation are included in the panel. The text has been divided into six parts to cover the major divisions of the secretory, excre tory and associated lacrimal portions. The sixth portion of the book is a summary pre sented by the editor, Dr. Veirs, who com pares and discusses the variety of opinions and technical preferences presented by the expert panelists. This chapter is an excellent adjunct to the book because of the controver sial nature of many of the subjects discussed. Part 1 covers the more common congenital anomalies of the lacrimal system and their treatment. Part 2 includes the microscopic and clinical evaluation of benign and malig nant lacrimal gland tumors and their treat ment. Part 3 is concerned with the contro versial treatment of the lacrimal canaliculi and covers all of the present acceptable meth ods for canalicular reconstrution. Part 4 is involved with the diagnostic and medical treatment of diseases of the lacrimal sac. Em phasis is placed upon dacryocystography which is well described and documented with photographs. Part 5 covers dacryocystorhinostomy, including the local and general an esthesia and an excellent photographic and descriptive plan of the surgical technique. This book is one of the most important volumes available today on the lacrimal sys tem. It is a valuable edition to the armamen tarium of all who are involved in the medical and surgical treatment of lacrimal diseases. The only shortcoming of the book is that there are several methods of dacryocystorhinostomy presented, and preferences for both local or general anesthesia, but no technique is emphasized. The reader should keep in mind that each technique for anesthesia and surgery has proven successful in the hands of the authors. M. F. Obear
462 LECTURE
NOTES
ON
OPHTHALMOLOGY,
fourth ed. By Patrick D. Trevor-Roper. Oxford, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1971. Clothbound, 104 pages, table of con tents, index, 66 black and white figures and 12 color figures. $4.50 This is the fourth edition of this slim book. Dr. Trevor-Roper has attempted to keep this book thin as one of its outstanding features. Obviously, such a little guide cannot tell med ical students all they might want to know about ophthalmology, but there are many larger books available for that. The present-day student, burdened by courses in ecology, community medicine, hu manities, and the usual stand-bys of medi cine, surgery, obstetrics, gynecology, pediat rics, psychiatry, does not have much time in his curriculum for the "cinderella" of special ties, namely, ophthalmology. It is to these harassed students that Trevor-Roper appeals. This book is less than 105 pages, including the index and introduction. He does give an adequate overview of ophthalmology which can be recommended to medical students and to general practitioners who are anxious to refresh their basic knowledge of clinical oph thalmology. It is difficult to edit a concise textbook but Patrick Trevor-Roper appears to have done it in this fourth edition, as well as when it was first published in 1960. He has tried to keep it up-to-date. The text is well printed. However, in the reviewer's copy, the photographic illustrations of acute iritis, acute glaucoma, and episcleritis are upside down, although these illustra tions are otherwise satisfactory. The author has included a copy of a photograph of nodu lar scleritis taken from Gifford's Textbook on Ophthalmology, but he still uses schematic color plates to illustrate acute glaucoma and acute iritis. Since he feels that this subject is important enough to discuss, perhaps it would be a good idea in future editions to display actual photographs of these not-too-uncom mon ophthalmic conditions. Most of the other illustrations are actual fundus or external photographs.
MARCH, 1972
In addition, in the second appendix are some ophthalmic questions from recent final examination papers in surgery at Cambridge, Oxford, London, for the conjoint examining boards of the Royal College of Physicians and Royal College of Surgeons. It is interest ing that most of these examinations require some knowledge of glaucoma and inflamma tions of the uveal tract ; proptosis, infection, and motility questions are asked in some ex aminations. This text certainly would pro vide adequate information in all of these areas. Irving H. Leopold
OPPORTUNITIES IN OPTICIANRY. By Russell
L. Stimson. New York, Vocational Guid ance Manuals, 1971. Paperback, 128 pages, table of contents, index. $1.95 This is one of a series of vocational guid ance manuals bound in paperback and de signed to provide the young with the infor mation needed to choose and plan their ca reers intelligently. The series covers some 30 fields, ranging from accounting to vocations in religion. This volume describes the scope of opticianry: how a prescription is filled, the education required, the path of advancement, and analysis of the job classifications. It will be helpful to young people interested in an important field. Frank W. Newell
SYNOPSIS OF OPHTHALMOLOGY, 3rd ed.
By
William H. Havener. St. Louis, C. V. Mosby, 1971. Clothbound, 553 pages, table of contents, index. $12.75 The basic textbook of ophthalmology, writ ten for students, continues to be an excellent general view. It is not, however, by any means a synopsis since its 553 pages of fine print cover a tremendous variety of material, much of it in detail. In fact, the one general criticism is that the author tried to do too much. The first two chapters covering the ocular
VOL. 73, NO. 3
BOOK REVIEWS
examination are excellent, although pédiatrie techniques are largely ignored. In chapter 16 the meaning of eye symptoms is discussed in fine fashion, and the book could benefit from the substitution of this superior material for chapter 3. Chapter 3 is the author's attempt to use the programmed text technique to teach ophthalmoscopy. This chapter fails both be cause there are too many questions and the fact that the author did not follow the pre scribed method of using an entire page for a single item. The method has been well worked out and should have been followed. The specific chapters on glaucoma, strabis mus, eyelids, and the like are excellent. The coverage of neuro-ophthalmology is good, al though the considerable material on the meth ods of visual field testing seems somewhat beyond the needs of the medical student. The treatment of uveitis is somewhat sparse for such an important area of ophthalmology, but in general the specific topics are discussed adequately. Finally, a basic textbook of this type should probably have an even larger glossary, although students will be pleased to find a more than adequate index. Regardless of its several shortcomings, this is an easy-to-read, informative basic textbook of ophthalmology. If television has not driven out the motivation and the ability of our stu dents to read, then they may profit from own ing and using this book. J. Terry Ernest
T H E LACRIMAL SYSTEM. By Everett R. Veirs. St. Louis, Mosby, 1971. Clothbound, 178 pages, table of contents, index, 166 black and white figures. $22.50 This book represents the proceedings of the First International Symposium held in Mexico City, March 6 and 7, 1970. The sym posium was organized to present "the latest advances in the nasolacrimal field and to dis seminate information that worldwide authori
463
ties have found useful in their practices." The book succeeds admirably in fulfilling the prin ciples of the symposium. Fourteen renowned experts in the field of lacrimal surgery and investigation are included in the panel. The text has been divided into six parts to cover the major divisions of the secretory, excre tory and associated lacrimal portions. The sixth portion of the book is a summary pre sented by the editor, Dr. Veirs, who com pares and discusses the variety of opinions and technical preferences presented by the expert panelists. This chapter is an excellent adjunct to the book because of the controver sial nature of many of the subjects discussed. Part 1 covers the more common congenital anomalies of the lacrimal system and their treatment. Part 2 includes the microscopic and clinical evaluation of benign and malig nant lacrimal gland tumors and their treat ment. Part 3 is concerned with the contro versial treatment of the lacrimal canaliculi and covers all of the present acceptable meth ods for canalicular reconstrution. Part 4 is involved with the diagnostic and medical treatment of diseases of the lacrimal sac. Em phasis is placed upon dacryocystography which is well described and documented with photographs. Part 5 covers dacryocystorhinostomy, including the local and general an esthesia and an excellent photographic and descriptive plan of the surgical technique. This book is one of the most important volumes available today on the lacrimal sys tem. It is a valuable edition to the armamen tarium of all who are involved in the medical and surgical treatment of lacrimal diseases. The only shortcoming of the book is that there are several methods of dacryocystorhinostomy presented, and preferences for both local or general anesthesia, but no technique is emphasized. The reader should keep in mind that each technique for anesthesia and surgery has proven successful in the hands of the authors. M. F. Obear