News and notices. Comm Eye Health Vol. 11 No. 27 1998. September 01, 1998

Book review. Practical paediatric ophthalmology

D Taylor and C Hoyt
Published 1997 by Blackwell Science Ltd, Osney Mead, Oxford OX2 0EL, UK, £39.50

David Taylor and Creig Hoyt have produced an excellent, compact book in 232 pages. There are many superb colour photographs and illustrations. The text itself is ordered and practical with liberal use of bullet points together with boxed information lists such as ‘The red eye in infancy’, ‘Differential diagnosis of leucocoria’ and ‘Eye abnormalities and deafness’.

There are no references – to keep the book a handy size. (The much larger referenced text is David Taylor’s Paediatric Ophthalmology, 2nd edition, Blackwell Science 1997).

From the viewpoint of ophthalmology in developing countries, readers of the Journal of Community Eye Health will need more in depth information regarding vitamin A deficiency and the eye than given here (perhaps in a future edition?). Strabismus is dealt with in more detail in the ‘twin’ book Practical Strabismus Management by Vivian & Morris, Blackwell Science 1997.

Paediatric eye problems such as genetically inherited disorders, infectious diseases, cataract, glaucoma, trachoma, tumours, neurological abnormalities, etc., are comprehensively, but concisely covered.

Designed for general ophthalmologists, paediatricians and those health workers routinely faced with eye problems in childhood, I would have appreciated having this book in my library many years ago, especially when teaching in a developing country.

News and notices in Comm Eye Health Vol. 11 No. 27 1998 –