Clinical Visual Optics

From The Critics

Reviewer: Brian Marshall, O.D.(Marshall Family Eye Care)
Description: This book is an update on ocular dioptrics with emphasis on the clinical relevance for today's ocular examination. All areas of general ocular examination are covered and explained well; from the reasons procedures are done to how optical instruments are designed. The last edition was published in 1989.
Purpose: It aims to describe and explain the ocular examination with all of the various subjective and objective techniques, as well as the instrumentation involved.
Audience: According to the author, this would be a worthwhile book for eyecare students, vision scientists, and those optometrists already in practice. This book does a fair job defining and describing optics, common-day instrumentation, and visual anomalies. Students will get a good vision science book that has an extensive bibliography.
Features: The areas covered in this book include: vision science topics such as the schematic eye and horoptor; refractive anomalies including aberration, anisikonia, and accommodation; binocular skills like motility, extraocular muscles, and stereopsis; anomalies of binocular vision such as strabismus and nystagmus; and instrumentation such as topographers, stereoscopes, and retinascopes. Some of the best areas covered were the chapter on accommodation and the section on binocular vision. Different instruments were described as well as different techniques and their use. Clinical relevance is also explained, and is perhaps the best feature.
Assessment: This book is a very enjoyable read, especially the section on ocular refraction. Reading it helped review why and how certain procedures are done. Only a small amount of time is devoted to each chapter, but the bibliography is rich in resources. This is a good book for a basic review of vision science and clinical application.

From the Publisher

"All students in this field should seriously consider purchasinf this most basic of texts."
Optician, February 2008

"It will be the standard text on visual optics"The Dispensing Optician student days to when experienced practitioners need to grapple with recent advances in eye examination techniques, sound knowledge of visual optics is essential. Optometric expertise greatly depends on the subjects covered in this book. The weaker types of optometric education give insufficient emphasis to theoretical instruction, practical experiments and rigorous solving of problems in this field of study.

It was the earlier textbook by Emsley which laid a remarkably sound foundation of exercises in this area, which cannot be neglected. The late Arthur Bennett extended this approach to good effect. Expounded by Ronald Rabbetts, who worked closely with Arthur Bennett, the third edition continues an impressive tradition of accurately applied expertise seen at its very best. Many of the main benefits of the present form of this book stem from the manner in which wise principles are applied to clinical realities.

Reorganization of the format has resulted in fewer pages yet more material. As before, the introductory sections give concise and relevant details of vision, basic optical principles, definitions, standards, ocular image formations and pertinent exercises. Such condensed material is valuable for those beginning a study of the subject, as well as for those needing to return to 'first principles' after becoming rather rusty.

Among the careful arrangement of material on form vision and the responses to contrast, attention is paid to amblyopia, instrumental aids and ISO standards. Assorted ametropias and near vision features follow, including refractive correction. This material is paramount among those books devoted to the subjects involved.

Normal and abnormal binocular functions are carefully introduced, using both exercises and references for successive chapters. More attention is paid to the AC/A approach, with pertinent comment on page 166.

At this stage, the text returns to schematic eyes, preparing the reader for fuller attention to the changes introduced by lenses; retinal images, magnification, aberrations and fields of view. Some practical ways of dealing with clinical situations are covered. Here the discerning student should take note of the Bennett-Rabbetts schematic eye. With cogent reasoning the elements are revised; an index of 1.336 is used for a reduced eye of +60D and a focal length of 22.27mm has to be taken on board.

Retinoscopy and many types of objective and subjective instruments are dealt with fully both in theory and application. It is hardly appropriate to cover eye examination in great detail here but what has been offered is excellent. The sections on subjective refraction have been assembled in a most painstaking and logical manner; would that all those now entrusted with 'refractive correction and prescription, as well as those who may engage in this service in the future, might be thoroughly grounded in this excellent and disciplined pathway.

Among the notable changes there are some new references and extra exercises, plus answers...

Chromatic aberration aspects are extended, as are features on telescopic spectacles, Volk lenses, some features of myopia, autorefractors, videokeratoscopy, pseudophakia and contact lens aberrations, and elements of the important subject of aids for visual handicap...

Optometrists working with intraocular lens implant patients should be interested in several of the comments and suggestions. Slight additions are made to methods of near vision correction. In many places there is a noticeable rearrangement of material, obviously following careful thought.

This is one of those books that makes reading about 'work' a pleasure, the style is almost faultless while every time it is opened there is something to learn afresh. Those without the book should embrace it forthwith, being assured that they will have no regrets." Robert Fletcher, Emeritus Professor, City University, London, The Optician, No 5686 Vol 217, January 1999