BOOK REVIEWS

As ophthalmologists, we often have the feeling that we can ignore the rest of the patient’s body and concentrate exclusively on the eyes. Nothing could be further from the truth. 
Systemic symptoms or abnormalities can often furnish the clinician with important information useful in the diagnosis of ophthalmic disease. On the one hand, these situations are admittedly rare. On the other hand, the diagnoses involved are often serious, and missing them can have devastating consequences. 
The fifth edition of Ocular Syndromes & Systemic Diseases, by Frederick Hampton Roy (Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers), is a reference guide for these cases. This giant book covers 1,620 syndromes, arranged alphabetically, and includes everything from common well-known conditions such as diabetes mellitus to rare and unusual entities like heredopathia ophthalmo-oto-encephalica. 
Information is stripped down to the absolutely most basic necessary facts under the headers of: “General”, “Ocular”, “Clinical”, “Laboratory”, “Treatment” and “Bibliography”.
The book is designed to orient the reader and to confirm his or her diagnosis quickly and efficiently. It is a companion text to Ocular Differential Diagnosis by the same author, which rather than being arranged alphabetically by disease, is organised as lists of causes of symptoms, such as ptosis and strabismus. 
The manual is useful for all ophthalmologists, including residents who are studying for board exams. 

corneal refractive surgery 
Surface Ablation: Techniques for Optimum Results, by Ellen E Anderson Penno (Slack Incorporated), narrows the focus down to a very specific topic, namely non-flap-based corneal refractive surgery. The book covers PRK, LASEK and epi-LASIK, starting with an introduction to the reasons for the resurgence of these techniques after a long period of dominance by flap-based procedures. PTK is also covered, despite not being a strictly refractive procedure. 
The various techniques are described, as are their variations and enhancements, such as wavefront-optimised and wavefront-guided treatments. Particularly useful are the chapters that focus on patient selection, postoperative management and the factors affecting patient satisfaction. The author stresses that “every refractive surgeon has observed the variability in patient satisfaction”. 
The technical aspects of the procedures are also detailed, including such crucial information as which corneal pathologies can be expected to recur following PTK. 
According to the author, the book “is intended for both new refractive surgeons who want to learn about surface ablation and experienced surgeons who may be transitioning back to no-flap treatments”.

Tags: EuCornea