Fundamentals of Clinical Ophthalmology : Cataract Surgery

London.: BMJ Books, 2003. - 233 p. Cataract surgery is a dynamic and complex field and is, without doubt, a fundamental part of ophthalmology. This book aims to cover the subject comprehensively, particularly the technical aspects of learning, performing, and teaching phacoemulsification. The inclusion of chapters on the Third World and the future of cataract surgery provide the reader with a broader erspective. The structure of the text, cross-referencing between chapters, and a detailed index minimise repetition. For example, intraoperative complications are discussed within the relevant individual. chapters on technique (although vitreous loss and the dropped nucleus have a chapter devoted to them), whereas postoperative complications are grouped together. For those who would like more detail, the text has been thoroughly referenced. Inevitably, some knowledge has been assumed and some detail omitted, but we hope that this book will be useful to both trainees and established cataract surgeons. Contents: Preface to the Fundamentals of Clinical Ophthalmology Series. Preface. Teaching and learning phacoemulsification. Incision planning and construction for phacoemulsification. Capsulorhexis. Phacoemulsification equipment and applied phacodynamics. Phacoemulsification technique. Biometry and lens implant power calculation. Foldable intraocular lenses and viscoelastics. Non-phacoemulsification cataract surgery. Anaesthesia for cataract surgery. Cataract surgery in complex eyes. Vitreous loss. Postoperative complications. Cataract surgery in the Third World. Cataract surgery: the next frontier. Index. Annotation This medium sized text is intended to give the reader a readable comprehensive overview of all aspects of a cataract from its numerous perspectives, eg epidemiology, medicolegal aspects and Third World issues, in addition to providing an exposition of past, present and future surgical techniques for its removal. The book is a compilation of chapters provided by experienced surgeons and anaesthetists, epidemiologists, physicists and others involved in the management of the patient with cataract. Modern phakoemuslification techniques are described in detail and include basic physics or phakodynamics as well as the most common approaches or strategies for nuclear removal from soft cataracts to dense brunescent nuclear sclerosis. Wound construction is covered in some detail since this is perhaps one of the most important components of successful phakoemulsification. The refractive implications of wound construction are explained since an understanding of corneal changes in cataract surgery is essential when combined cataract and refractive surgery, which is now commonplace, is contemplated. There are chapters devoted to local anaesthetic techniques, the management of the diabetic patient, as well as other complex problems. A separate chapter is devoted to biometry and the problems of lens power calculations in patients having previously undergone corneal refractive surgery. Finally, future developments such as laser phako and accommodative lens implants are included