Clinical Pathways in Glaucoma

Abstract

Thom J. Zimmerman and Kranjit S. Kooner (ed.) Clinical Pathways in Glaucoma 565 pages Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 2001. GTV ISBN 3–13–125971-X, US$ 99 This is an unusual, almost unique addition to the glaucoma literature. Clinical Pathways in Glaucoma is certainly not a standard textbook on glaucoma that can be read by the novice to learn about the basics of the disease. Thus, it has little information on issues like basic diagnostics, epidemiology or on disease mechanisms for the most common forms of glaucoma. The words tonometry or perimetry are not even present in the book’s index. Instead, this volume has a wealth of information on management and different forms of treatment, also of the most unusual forms of glaucoma. There are, e.g., chapters not only on glaucoma associated with primary disorders of the corneal endothelium, but also on drug-induced glaucoma and management of glaucoma in pregnancy. To facilitate reading the discussion follows a question and answer format with most of the headlines in the form of questions, e.g.: “How is a patient with newly diagnosed CRVO prevented from progressing to neovascular glaucoma?” or “How is a blind painful eye from glaucoma managed?” Flow diagrams are also frequently used to suggest or define clinical management. There are such diagrams in almost every chapter, e.g. “Management of uveitic glaucoma” or “Management of a patient with elevated IOP after first week of filtration surgery“. The book contains a wealth of references, particularly on management. It is a valuable addition to the libraries of all eye departments, but it can also definitely be helpful to glaucoma specialists in unusual clinical situations.