Book Reviews

Abstract

Alastair K. O Denniston and Philip I Murray, (eds) Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology First edition 784 pages Oxford University Press , Oxford , 2006 ISBN 0 19 853037 4 and 978 0 19 853037 4 Price: € 38.40 The Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology is part of the Oxford Handbook series of pocket-sized reference books for professionals. This first edition of the Handbook of Ophthalmology is primarily intended for ophthalmologists, but other medical professionals may also find it useful. The opening page of the book gives a useful list of common ophthalmic emergencies, with references to the specific pages on which these are mentioned. In addition, the ‘blue boxes’ throughout the book give details of clinical algorithms, tips and overviews of common ophthalmic procedures. Consequently, this book is immediately brought into the context of a clinical setting where the reader needs to resource concise and informative information rapidly. The book is comprised of 23 chapters, the first two of which focus on Clinical Skills and Investigations. A wide range of clinical examinations are described in an organized manner. This allows the reader to look up different types of examinations and acquire an overview of the value of these. The chapter is an excellent source of guidelines for the medical student, ophthalmology resident or ophthalmologist who needs to refresh his or her memory. The chapter on Investigations fulfils its purpose in the same manner by giving an overview of common ophthalmologic diagnostic tools and interpretations of the results of these. The third chapter, Trauma, is very comprehensive and user-friendly in terms of its descriptions of different kinds of trauma, their treatment and the main points to remember when looking at a traumatized eye. The fourth chapter covers Diseases of the Eyelids and subsequent chapters move systematically towards the inner eye, culminating in Chapter 14, which is about the orbit. Chapters 4 to 14 all start with descriptions of the anatomy and physiology of the region in question. Although these are very informative, the book would be improved by the inclusion of a small anatomical figure in every chapter rather than in a select few only. The final chapters then cover Intraocular Tumours, Neuro-ophthalmology, Strabismus, and Paediatric Ophthalmology, respectively. Overall, these are very useful in that they serve to provide the clinician with a quick reference to epidemiology, clinical signs, investigations and treatment. Complex diseases and problems are described concisely, in a manner that makes them easier to assess, although the text is sometimes a little simplistic. The chapter on Aids to Diagnosis is a very welcome addition for both the inexperienced and experienced doctor in that it provides tools for the assessment of presenting symptoms and differential diagnosis. Likewise, Chapters 20 and 21, on Vision in Context and Perioperative Care, respectively, are sources of useful and clinically oriented information that is otherwise difficult to find in ophthalmic textbooks. The last chapter, Miscellaneous, consists mainly of a short overview of eponymous syndromes and web resources to indulge most clinically oriented readers who have felt the lack of a complete reference book. The book is obviously written for clinicians interested in ophthalmology. Much of the text requires previous ophthalmic knowledge; the reader will not achieve a deeper understanding of the physiology and pathology of the conditions described by reading this book alone. All in all, the Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology is an excellent tool for the medical student, ophthalmology resident and attending ophthalmologist. Not only is the text extremely helpful, but the size of the book makes it very attractive. It is quite astonishing how its layout makes almost 800 pages of ophthalmology easy to carry, read and understand. The book has the potential to become an essential part of ophthalmology training and deserves a presence in every educational ophthalmology department.