Contact Lens Complications

Abstract

Hans-Walter Roth Contact Lens Complications, Etiology, Pathogenesis, Prevention, Therapy 214 pages Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 2003 ISBN 1 58890 132 7 Price: $119.00 This book is an authorized translation of the German edition published in 2002. It is composed of 10 chapters concerning different aspects of the various complications associated with contact lens wear, and contains 476 illustrations, 466 of which are in colour. The bulk of the text concerns clinical descriptions and illustrations of most pathological findings in complications related to contact lens wear. The complications are classified according to anatomical position and each location begins with a short description of its anatomy and physiology. Thereafter, the different conditions are presented in terms of symptoms, clinical findings, differential diagnosis and prophylaxis. A separate chapter related to the clinical location describes the treatment for each type of condition. This clear and mainly regional method of presentation makes it easy for the ophthalmologist to access information on specific types of contact lens problems. Other chapters describe patient counselling and examination, fitting and wearing problems, and eye injuries in contact lens wearers. These chapters are marked by the author's experience in a university eye clinic attended by patients with many types of eye disease and are not necessarily representative of the experience of the majority of normal contact lens wearers. For example, the author states that despite recent advances in soft lens technology, hard lenses are still better tolerated in the longterm. I think it will be difficult to convince the general contact lens wearer of this! The book contains over five pages of references. Unfortunately these references are not related to specific statements in the text. Otherwise it could be desirable with a reference, which for instance documented the benefits of the proposed 3–6 month interval between follow-up examinations of adults wearing soft lenses. The frequency of contact lens complications is described as being between 1% and 30%. The author emphasizes that such figures are mostly based on reports that fail to state either the composition of their patient populations or the length of wearing time. Furthermore, in my opinion it is also important to distinguish between the frequencies of mild and severe complications. It is interesting that in the author's experience, 60% of contact lens complications are caused by faulty handling, cleaning or disinfection. This is important to mention in patient counselling. In conclusion, this book contains much useful information presented in a clear and short text complemented by many good illustrations. It represents excellent reference material for any ophthalmologist confronted with complications arising from contact lens wear.