Abstract
This book is very welcome to fill the need for a current text dedicated to ophthalmic surgery. Surgical techniques are included in most ophthalmic textbooks and in some general surgery textbooks, but often lack detail due to the constraints of space. As the editor of three editions of the ‘bible’ of veterinary ophthalmology, Kirk Gelatt offers experience and expertise second to none.
The first three chapters on instrumentation, the operating room and anaesthesia, provide an introduction into the fundamental areas of surgery; basic principles are particularly important for ophthalmic surgery as magnification, illumination and micro instrumentation are essential requirements for a successful outcome. Tables listing instruments required for particular types of surgery are extremely helpful for those intending to purchase instrument sets. Each chapter begins with pertinent surgical anatomy and pathophysiology, providing a basic understanding of the clinical conditions before the various surgical techniques are described. Good diagrams are paramount for any surgical text and the line drawings are numerous as well as being clear and detailed. Each set of drawings is accompanied by a detailed heading which highlights the salient steps of the procedure, making quick reference easy. Although the black and white photographs within the text are less clear, there is an excellent section of more than 60 colour plates in the centre of the book. Although the book concentrates on ocular surgery for the canine and feline patient, species differences are described where clinically relevant. For example, the different techniques for avian enucleation and surgical management of nasolacrimal disorders in snakes are included. Each chapter finishes with a very comprehensive reference list which is subdivided to make further reading quickly accessible.
The surgical techniques range in complexity from how to perform a third eyelid flap correctly to vitreoretinal surgery. The book therefore reaches a wide audience including veterinary students, general practitioners encountering ocular problems daily and those with a specialist interest. For veterinary surgeons that are not performing intraocular surgery but are often referring potential cataract candidates, the chapter on lens surgery provides an excellent overview of current techniques. This enables appropriate patient selection as well as providing further education on how cataract extraction is performed, the advantages and risks, information all clients require.
For those who own the ‘bible’ weighing several kilograms, this book is a practical guide for everyday use. It is perhaps superfluous for those who are fortunate to already own the authors' two companion handbooks on ophthalmic surgery which are now out of print. This single volume is excellent value for veterinary surgeons performing extraocular and intraocular surgery on a regular basis and for those wishing to expand their skills in ophthalmic surgery.