A Case - Study Approach

The first edition of Ophthalmic Photography, published in 1997, was an ambitious undertaking that attempted to gather all aspects of retinal photography and angiography into one volume. The result was a comprehensive yet accessible book that has become a valuable reference for ophthalmic photographers worldwide. Five years have passed since publication of the first edition, and while the fundamentals of retinal photography and angiography remain constant, the world of electronic imaging has undergone, in the authors’ words, “a technical renaissance.” In an effort to address these advancements and how they apply to a modern practice that performs retinal imaging, the authors have now released a second edition of their important work, which it is my pleasure to review for you here. The book’s target audience is ophthalmic photographers of all skill levels. The book consists of 9 chapters, written in turn by the authors and 7 guest contributors. Saine and Tyler, both veteran ophthalmic photographers, have arranged the book like a good fluorescein angiogram, with distinct early, middle, and late phases.Theearlychapters cover indetail the history of fluorescein angiography, basic and advanced fundus photography techniques (required reading for aspiring retinal photographers), and stereo fundus photography. A section on pediatric wideangle imaging has been added. The uses and side effects of both fluorescein sodium and indocyanine green dye are thoroughly covered. The middle chapters, practical in tone, discuss instrumentation and techniques required to perform ocular angiography, the ophthalmic darkroom, and electronic retinal imaging. The latter chapter has received a complete overhaul from the first edition, and includes a detailed discussion of the anatomy of a digital image. Recent or future converts to digital imaging will discover a wealth of information here to guide them through operational and purchasing decisions. Also updated from the first edition is a section covering the history, utility, and current state-of-the-art of scanning laser ophthalmoscopes. The later chapters arededicated to helping the reader maximize diagnostic informationcontained in their ophthalmic photographs and angiograms, and to understand their role asimportantcontributorstowardsuccessfulpatientcare.Anewsectionentitled “Reading Center Overview” provides instructions to photographers participating in clinical trials. The book concludes with an excellentoverviewofcommonretinal findings and a primer on descriptive interpretationoffluoresceinsodiumand indocyanine green angiograms. Readers familiar with the first edition will notice an overall improvement in what was already a superb graphic presentation. Most photographs have been (gently) enhanced in contrast, color photos have replaced black-and-white in some places, and some figures and tables have been reworked. I appreciate the addition (in chapter 2) of the section “Record Keeping Essentials,” which, aside from giving practical record-keeping advice, encourages an honest appraisal of the time and effort required to properly edit, label, and track photographs in a clinical setting. Other subtle changes, pearls of wisdom too numerous to describe here, are scattered throughout. All in all, Ophthalmic Photography is a major achievement. The second edition effectively addresses new developments in electronic imaging while remaining relevant to those engaged in traditional photography. The authors have scored on all points in their effort to produce a complete reference for ophthalmic photographers and angiographers.