Handbook of Ocular Disease Management 8th Edition (2006) by Joseph W. Sowka, O.D. PDF

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Dear Colleagues, Once again, we are pleased to bring you our annual edition of the Handbook of Ocular Disease Management. This year is a very special one for us, because it marks our 10th anniversary of working together on this project. During the SECO meeting in 1996, a gentleman named Jack Persico from Review of Optometry approached us regarding our idea about cre- ating a “quick & dirty” handbook of the 50 most common ocular disease entities encountered in optometry. Over the last seven editions, our humble little project, initially conceived as a one-time-only event, has evolved into a compendi- um of clinically useful, up-to-date evidence-based reports on a multitude of ocular and oculosystemic disorders. It is interesting to note that the evolution of our handbook has paralleled the continued advancement of our profession. Optometry plays a far more substantial role in the management of ocular disease today than even 10 years ago. During that time, we’ve seen substantially greater interest and investment in our profession by pharmaceutical and technology companies, who recognize our abilities and potential in the diagnostic and therapeutic arenas. We’ve also seen new soci- eties arise within our own profession, solely dedicated to advancing our aptitude and interest in ocular disease. Organizations such as the Optometric Glaucoma Society, the Optometric Retina Society and the Optometric Dry Eye Society now exist within a profession that was once described as “drugless.” In fact, the Optometric Glaucoma Society has been recognized by, and is a full member of the Association of International Glaucoma Societies. This edition of The Handbook offers some timely updates on previously covered disease entities, including acute angle closure glaucoma, choroidal melanoma and pupillary disorders. In addition, we’ve added new material on important ocu- lar and oculosystemic conditions, such as cicatricial pemphigoid, choroidal folds and migraine. We’ve also included per- tinent comments on professional communication, practice-building strategies and the use of some new diagnostic tech- nologies such as the OptoMap® retinal exam and frequency doubling perimetry. We hope that you find the eighth edition of the Handbook of Ocular Disease Management educationally beneficial and clinically practical. Once again, we are indebted to Review of Optometry and our generous sponsor, Alcon Laboratories, for continuing to support this effort. Most important, thanks to all of you—our colleagues—who have overwhelming- ly endorsed this project. We hope to stay in your top desk drawer for many years to come. Best regards, Joe, Andy and Al

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