Essentials of Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Essentials of Cataract Surgery Bonnie A. Henderson, ed. Thorofare, NJ: SLACK Inc.; 2007. $49.95.FigureIn 2005, Bonnie An Henderson, MD, created the first annual Harvard Medical School Intensive Cataract Surgical Training Course. This extensive course is offered free of charge to all US-based ophthalmology residents and is taught by physician/educators who have been nominated by their respective institutions as best cataract surgery teacher. The authors (30 total) of the textbook Essentials of Cataract Surgery are drawn from the distinguished faculty of this course. Ophthalmologists in training appear to be the target audience, although others may glean insight from the text as well. The implicit goal of this book is to assist the reader in mastering phacoemulsification surgery and also to serve as a reference after having gained surgical competence. As an optometrist, I will not be performing cataract surgery so I am clearly not part of the target audience. However, optometrists often work with cataract patients and frequently consult with cataract surgeons. This review is written from an optometrist’s perspective primarily for fellow optometrists. Essentials of Cataract Surgery ambitiously tackles a wide breadth of material in a relatively short text (33 chapters, 306 pages). This book is offered in paperback form with black and white photos and diagrams. After mild initial disappointment at the lack of color, I found the photos to be generally of good quality and the diagrams and tables to be clear and informative. Each chapter is logically organized, concisely written, and ends with a summary of key points. The editors have done a fine job in insuring a coherent style and layout throughout the text. The first three chapters cover screening and preoperative assessment. These cursory sections are full of useful optometric information but may offer little new information for optometrists who co-manage cataract patients. True to its title, this book is essentially about cataract surgery. Chapter topics include anesthesia, wound construction, viscoelastics, phacoemulsification techniques, alternative surgical techniques, surgical complications, intraocular lens design, suturing, and postoperative care. Additional chapters cover postoperative complications, cataract surgery in glaucoma and refractive surgery patients, and possible future surgical advances. There are also chapters on somewhat esoteric topics such as surgical blade design, which I found quite interesting. Although many sections will be pertinent only to those performing this procedure, I was surprised to find much of the text informative and eminently readable. The chapters did not always flow logically, but this is a minor criticism as most readers are likely to use Essentials of Cataract Surgery as a reference. Also, there can be drawbacks in covering such an extensive and complex body of information in a small text. To address this concern, each chapter is appropriately and extensively referenced. If a reader desires additional information or a more in-depth understanding, this book will point them in the right direction. Essentials of Cataract Surgery is a must-have book for the cataract surgeon in training. It is concise, comprehensive, well-referenced, and filled with practical surgical tips by renowned experts. This text is unlikely to be as directly useful to the practicing optometrist. However, for those optometrists who desire a richer understanding and appreciation of what happens when they refer their patients, Essentials of Cataract Surgery proficiently provides the surgeon’s perspective. Carl H. Jacobsen School of Optometry University of California Berkeley, California