The Eye Book: A Complete Guide to Eye Disorders and Health (A Johns Hopkins Press Health Book) - Hardcover

Cassel MD, Dr. Gary H.; Billig OD, Dr. Michael D.; Randall MD, Dr. Harry G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0801858356 ISBN 13: 9780801858352

Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998

Synopsis

When all is well with our eyes, most of us take them for granted. But when our vision is blurred or our eyes are itchy and watery, it's hard to concentrate on anything but our eyes. In The Eye Book, three eye care specialists present a comprehensive reference to help readers care for their eyes and protect their vision, with special attention to changes and diseases that occur in the adult years.

After detailing how the various parts of the eye work together so we can see, the authors review everything that can go wrong -- from myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism to the major disorders of cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration. They also thoroughly describe each part of the eye and the problems that can develop, from the irritation of itchy eyelids and conjunctivitis to emergency situations such as a detached retina. They describe the signs and symptoms of all these problems and how to deal with them, including when to apply a warm compress -- and when to head to the emergency room. Medical and surgical treatment of both minor eye irritations and major diseases are explained in detail, so readers know where to turn and what to expect.

The authors also tell readers what happens during an eye examination and how to recognize an eye emergency. They explain all about eyeglasses, including the various kinds of bifocals, and describe the care and maintenance of contact lenses in a way that makes wearing them a viable option for anyone who wishes to do so. They detail the special concerns of people with systemic diseases such as diabetes and indicate how common medications -- from antibiotics and antidepressants to tamoxifen -- affect the eyes. The pros and cons of refractive surgery are discussed, as are the special problems of people with low vision.

An appendix lists medications used to treat eye conditions and the side effects of those medications. The book is fully illustrated with fifty-five line drawings and includes a symptoms index that will direct readers to sections of the book which describe the possible causes of the specific symptoms they are experiencing.

About this title

About the Author

Gary H. Cassel, M.D., is an ophthalmologist in private practice as well as an instructor in ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Michael D. Billig, O.D., is an optometrist and contact lens specialist in private practice. Harry G. Randall, M.D., is an ophthalmologist in private practice and assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

Reviews

Fear of reduced vision and blindness regularly tops surveys of consumers' concerns about their health. Therefore, comprehensive, current information on this small but vital area of the human body is a high priority for libraries answering consumer health queries. The authors are associated with the Wilmer Eye Institute at Johns Hopkins University, consistently rated one of the top ophthalmology departments in the United States. Their guide covers routine eye care and the more common eye diseases, providing up-to-date facts on refractive surgery, treatment for optical neuritis, and possible nutritional therapies for cataracts and macular degeneration. Information on systemic and general health conditions affecting the eye is provided, as is a good introduction to the problem of "low vision," vision that cannot be corrected by spectacles, contact lenses, or introcular lens implants. The coverage of the newest refractive surgical techniques, clinical trials, and medications makes this an important acquisition for libraries with similar titles; highly recommended for public, school, and hospital libraries.?Pamela C. Sieving, W.K. Kellogg Eye Ctr., Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

In a thorough, lucid, usefully illustrated text, Cassel and colleagues cover eye basics, the prevention of eye problems, the warning signals of those problems, and diagnosis and treatment of them, and they advise how to proceed sensibly. Cross-references in the text enable readers to pursue a topic and find out all they need to know without having to go down confusing byways. The overview given of eye anatomy is not encumbered for lay readers with unnecessary details, and discussions of weighty topics are lightened by touches of humor (the chapter on eyeglasses, in particular, instances both these practices); also, many myths are disproven. Characterizing cataracts as the most misunderstood disorder of the eye, the authors stress the need for a second opinion before proceeding with surgery. They also discuss the eye as an index of general health. Packed with understandable information, the book deserves to be in most public libraries. William Beatty

Edition details

• Publisher: The Johns Hopkins University Press
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801858356
• ISBN 13: 9780801858352
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 384