Analysis of Visual Behaviour

Abstract

The introductory chapters on pharmacological principles and autonomic innervation will be already familiar to medical people.The pharmacological actions of drugs are described in a reasonable order, though separate chapters on cycloplegics and mydriatics lead to reduplication.It is when the author deals with clinical uses that he not infrequently deviates from the therapy as practised by ophthalmologists.Atropine is described as being used in the treatment of acute conjunctivitis (p.112).Ephedrine seems to be preferred for mydriasis although not mentioned in the British National Formulary, and it is suggested that ephedrine and homatropine be used for refraction.Physostigmine is advised after all anticholinergic drops (even tropicamide), and the obsessive repeated instruction to constrict all pupils over the age of 40 is now antiquated and may be counterproductive.The statement that it is necessary to dilate pupils after contusion fails to state that it may be dangerous in early hyphaema.Equally many surgeons will disagree with the remark that local anaesthetic is preferred for operations on the eye.No mention is made of the systemic dangers of timolol drops nor is ethambutol toxicity described in the chapter on adverse reactions from systemic medication.In summary, some sections (especially those devoted to pharmacology) may be of use to optician students, but the discussions of a number of clinical uses are frankly misleading.