Doc Ophthalmol (2006) 113:69–70 DOI 10.1007/s10633-006-9020-2
BOOK REVIEW
F. Holtz, R. Spaide (eds): Medical Retina Springer, Berlin, 2005, 80 Figs, 6 Tables, Hardcover. Eur 89.95, SFR 152.50, GBP 69.00, US$99.00, ISBN 354022596X Vaegan
Published online: 6 September 2006 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006
This light A5 (148 · 210 mm) size volume is an overview of fundal diseases by eminent authors. It is part of a new series that aims to provide current and comprehensive reviews of recent and noteworthy advances in the eight subspecialties of ophthalmology, to be rewritten in a 5 year cycle. It was published in early 2005, but the information included is so recent that half of the 791 cited references are after 1999, with 2003 being the most cited year (105) and 81 in 2004. Throughout the book there are small but high quality colour fundus photos. The volume starts with new technologies (OCT and autofluorescence). The reviews of macular diseases and AZOOR will be of most interest to electrophysiologists. The former (21 pages, median reference year 1997) is very informative because it delineates what is now known about genetic loci and describes how the observed symptoms can be derived from the associated biochemical action of the gene defect. The associated ERG and EOG changes are described more fully than in some more encyclopaedic texts and the importance of the PERG in Stargardt’s diagnosis is included.
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Electrophysiologists will miss VEPs, mfERGs, on-off ERGs, S-cone ERGs, other uses of PERGs and trace recordings or figures showing the range of variation. The reviews in separate chapters of choroidal folds and CSR indicate these entities are still more described than understood and accordingly these two chapters have more older references (half before 1988 and 1992 respectively). There are four chapters covering new ideas about AMD. Of these, Spaide’s chapter (32 pages, median references year 1998) is outstanding. It reviews the epidemiological risk factors and covers theories about the underlying mechanisms, from the molecular, through biochemistry to cell signalling pathways and up to the system level, with an excursions into speculation that mitochondrial oxide leakage is the basic cause of all senescence. The three chapters on treatments of AMD (PDT, intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide and other pharmacological compounds) are especially informative and the most up to date in the book (median reference years 2002, 2003 and 2000). This book is transitional due to the advent of genetic analysis. Macular disease classification is still clearly determined by phenotype and variations in the phenotype. The loci of genetic defects associated with each phenotype are all presented in the same entry. One also notices frequent associations of the same genes (peripherin, RDS)
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with many phenotypes. The basis of choroidal folds and CSR is still unknown. The book was published too early for the discovery of ARMD gene(s) to be included. This only serves to underscore how fast knowledge is changing, and how much further knowledge will need to advance before the full power of genetic analysis can be used for diagnosis and treatment. Acronyms are used extensively to reduce length and there are many new ones. Chapters would have benefited by publication of all the abbreviations used on the first page. It was especially disturbing to find old abbreviations with new uses (i.e., ROS for reactive oxygen species rather than rod outer segment in Chap. 7). I would have felt more comfortable if the book met the series aims better or had a different title.
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It only covers fundal disease, not medical retina. There is generally only one photographic example of each phenotype in the book. Choroidal folds and CSR are included but our understanding of them has not advanced much recently. Diabetic retinopathy and rod diseases where knowledge has advanced more in recent times are missed. RP is only mentioned because of its association with CSR. Uveitis is missed except for a mention that it is amenable to triamcinolone treatment. This book does not supplement major textbooks on medical retina with a comprehensive review of the whole field. It nevertheless covers the some advancing areas in a thorough and accessible way.
