Indian Journal of Ophthalmology

BOOK REVIEW
Year
: 2001  |  Volume : 49  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 71--72

Book review


Pradeep Venkatesh 
 New Delhi, India

Correspondence Address:
Pradeep Venkatesh
New Delhi
India




How to cite this article:
Venkatesh P. Book review.Indian J Ophthalmol 2001;49:71-72


How to cite this URL:
Venkatesh P. Book review. Indian J Ophthalmol [serial online] 2001 [cited 2024 Mar 28 ];49:71-72
Available from: https://journals.lww.com/ijo/pages/default.aspx/text.asp?2001/49/1/71/22670


Full Text

Text Book of Ocular Therapeutics. Ashok Garg. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers; 2001. 274 pages, illustrated.

Reviewed by Dr. Nikunj Shah, Hyderabad

A search for cure to all suffering has inspired mankind since time immemorial. The turn of the century has seen rapid advances in the fields of ophthalmic physiology, molecular biology, diagnostics, which have helped us understand the complex pathophysiology underlying various ocular diseases. This has culminated in development of newer drugs for ocular diseases.

Spanning 25 chapters supported by useful clinical photographs, charts and illustrations, this book is a perfect blend of basic ocular pharmacology and recent advances in an easy-to-read format.

The first three chapters on fundamentals of ocular pharmacology and microbiology simplify further understanding of complex mechanisms of drug action. An exhaustive and informative overview of the most commonly used agents, namely, antimicrobials, antiglaucoma, anti-inflammatory, etc, has been provided in a systematic fashion. Chapters on medical treatment for senile degenerative conditions of eye, topical immune therapy, anti-retroviral agents provide information about the latest additions to ophthalmic drug armamentarium.

Common dosages of topical and systemic ophthalmic drugs and ocular manifestations of systemic diseases serve as a ready reckoner. The chapter dealing with toxicity of various drugs gives us the insight to recognize and prevent vision-threatening complications arising therefrom.

Overall, this book is an excellent attempt to suffice the ever existing need for a complete, yet concise book on ocular pharmacology.

Uveitis Update. Developments in Ophthalmology, Vol.31. BenEzra D, editor. Karger. 1999; 215 pages, illustrated.

Uveitis continues to remain a poorly understood entity in terms of aetiopathogenesis. It is often a difficult entity to investigate and manage clinically. Although a lot of studies are being undertaken to unravel the engima of uveitis, this work is not adequately represented in important journals. This makes it difficult for a clinician to further his knowledge in this specialty. In such a scenario, Uveitis Update succeeds well by bringing together topics concerning basic sciences as well as clinical issues in a balanced manner.

The book has fifteen chapters in all. Of these, the first seven pertain to basic sciences and the remaining to clinical aspects in uveitis diagnosis and management, including an interesting and innovative approach that may help a clinician analyze how the disease is likely to behave in a particular patient following initiation of treatment.

Chapter one is a brief introduction into newer investigative methods that have contributed to a better understanding and diagnosis of uveitis. The methodologies described include Immuno-histochemistry, in situ hybridization (including FISH technique), polymerase chain reaction and image analysis (ultrasound biomicroscopy, optical coherence tomographay).

Chapter two highlights the diagnostic usefulness and indications for ultrasonography and ultrasound biomicroscopy in patients with uveitis. The write-up on ultrasound biomicroscopy is particular informative.

Chapters three to seven cover several observations made over the years with regard to uveitis under experimental conditions. These include topics such as experimental uveitis, oral tolerance in autoimmune uveitis, role of lymphocyte surface antigens, role of cytokines and chemokines and immunogenetics in uveitis. These chapters pertain to pure basic research and their clinical implications would probable take a while to clearly understand.

The Chapter on "Essential Laboratory Tests in Uveitis" is essential reading for all ophthalmologists involved in the management of ocular inflammation. The indications for several laboratory investigations such as chest x-ray, and their clinical interpretation and usefulness has been well defined.

There are two chapters pertaining to Behcet's disease. While chapter eight covers the clinical aspects and diagnostic guidelines, chapter nine deals with the medical management of Behcet's disease. This is followed by a chapter on the role of immunosuppressive drugs in uveitis management. This provides the clinician with the indications, dosage, side effects and schedule for monitoring uveitis patients on immunosuppressive treatment.

The next chapter, "Prediction of Treatment Outcome in Uveitis", is extremely interesting and may find early clinical applications. Chapters thirteen and fourteen describe the standard approaches to management of cataract in uveitis and treatment of inflammation following intraocular surgery. The last chapter discusses management strategies in AIDS patients with ocular manifestations such as cytomegalovirus retinitis.

Overall, this update is a useful compendium for all those interested in improving their knowledge and understanding of uveitis.

HIV and the Eye. Susan Lightman. Imperial College Press, 2000, London, 270 pages, indexed, illustrated.

Reviewed by Dr Jyotirmay Biswas, Chennai

Some ophthalmic diseases have produced such an impact on the field that entire books are written about them. In the past, books have been published on diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, and retinitis pigmentosa. A separate book on HIV and the Eye is indeed long due. The book would be of particular relevance to the ophthalmologist in India today. The current statistics show that India has 4 million HIV-positive patients. It is quite likely that many of these patients will come to the ophthalmologist either as a known case of HIV positivity or being unaware of HIV positivity. It is quite well known that eye is one of the common sites of involvement with 70 % of patients having one or more ocular lesions. Although many ophthalmic textbooks have come out with chapters on ocular lesions in AIDS, a separate book can look at the whole gamut of the problem. A new handy book HIV and the Eye edited by Susan Lightman can be of practical benefit to many ophthalmologists in this country.

The book is a multi-authored one, with contribution by thirteen experts in the field. The book begins with a chapter on current management approaches in HIV infection. The current approach of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) is dealt with in this chapter as well as management modality of various opportunistic infections in AIDS patients. The next few chapters deal with pre-AIDS ocular manifestation, adenexal and anterior segment ocular infections, differential diagnosis. As cytomegalovirus retinitis is the major ocular problem in AIDS patients a chapter discusses this topic in detail. Similarly, neuro-ophthalmic problems are discussed in details a separate chapter. Ophthalmologists are often feel the need for definite guideline of ocular surgery in HIV/ADS patients. A separate chapter on this topic will remove the anxiety about managing such patients. In fact, today an ophthalmologist in India has to encounter many such patients. Lastly, the chapter on "AIDS and the Eye developing countries" provides valuable information of specific issues in the diagnosis and management of AIDS patients which can be relevant to India too. The main strength of this book is a complete overview on the subject and the colour photographs. An ophthalmologist can find photographs of great value in building a visual impression. The book, with abundant tables and references will be useful to ophthalmologists as well as AIDS care physicians. One of the drawbacks of the book is that much of the information is repetitions.

Nevertheless, this book should be a priority in the list of new books to be acquired by an ophthalmic institute.