Volume 2.

In this second English-language edition, existing chapters have been completely revised and new chapters added. The number of illustrations has been expanded and new terminolo- gy included. The novel how-to approach emphasizes basic principles that will help experienced as well as beginning eye surgeons master the unexpected.

This is a reference text for both the novice and the accomplished ophthalmic surgeon. The book imparts basic information on tissue tactics and knot tying and demonstrates the applicability of these techniques to various microsurgical situations, in both the anterior and the posterior segment of the eye. Illustrated with photos and line drawings, each chapter contains sections on: Surgical indications, Instrumentation and equipment, Surgical technique, Complications and future challenges.

Written by a pioneering leader in the development of vitreoretinal surgical techniques and instruments, Vitreous Microsurgery is a comprehensive how-to guide to all vitreoretinal procedures. This thoroughly updated Fifth Edition describes many new techniques and refinements of established procedures. More than 170 three-dimensional full-color illustrations—many by the Charles Retina Institute's resident medical artist, Byron Wood—enable surgeons to clearly visualize the techniques. This edition has new chapters on the Constellation vitrectomy system, uveitis, retinal complications of permanent keratoprosthesis, and anti-VEGF therapy and completely rewritten chapters on anesthesia and on retinopathy of prematurity. All illustrations have been updated, the majority to a 25-gauge approach instead of 20-gauge, and many new illustrations have been added. Many techniques and parameters unique to 25-gauge sutureless vitrectomy are discussed in detail. A companion website offers the fully searchable text and an image bank.

Translated from the 1987 Russian edition. Designed to acquaint ophthalmologists with work being done at the Moscow Research Institute of Eye Microsurgery. Acidic paper. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

The reactions to the German edition of this book have been most contradic tory. While some readers found the book absolutely unnecessary ("Surgery is learned from practice, not from theory"), others were enthusiastic (" Just the sort of book I have always needed "). In my opinion the divergent recep tion of the book is best explained by the comment of my friend, BALDER GLOOR *, who called the book a "grammar of eye surgery". Indeed there are people who can learn a language by practice alone, and there are others who do better by knowing its grammar. In learning by mere practice to be sure, proficiency will be long in coming, because it will be more difficult to recognize, and thus to correct, whatever errors are made, whereas a knowledge of grammar will reveal the basic structures and shorten the learning process. Similarly, surgery can be learned purely from practical experience. Yet the trial-and-error quest for experience is not compatible with the interests of the patient. A knowledge of "surgical grammar", on the other hand, not only shortens the time for learning but also helps us to compare different surgical techniques and to weigh thcir advantages and disadvantages. It is also helpful in developing new surgical methods, for the general rules of course, can always be applied to novel situations where experience, is lacking.