Principles and Practice of Refractive

Keratectomy. By Dimitri Azar, Roger Steinert, and Walter Stark. Philadelphia, PA: Williams and Wilkins; 1997; 214 pp. $79.00. Phototherapeutic keratectomy (PTK) has been developed to remove superficial corneal opacities and irregularities. In the foreword, Claus H. Dohlman, Professor of Ophthalmology at Harvard, whimsically asks the question, “Will a quick shave with the excimer laser solve these problems?” The book is organized somewhat like an academic treatise. The first part establishes a basic science framework with chapters on excimer laser optics with cornea application; corneal anatomy, transparency, and light scattering, and corneal wound healing after excimer laser keratectomy. These are followed by two chapters on the preoperative work-up as well as the suggested method for PTK. Then, there are detailed chapters on the pathology of corneal conditions treatable with PTK. These are followed by chapters on PTK and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) complications and the results of the FDA-sponsored PTK clinical trials with the Summit and VISX lasers. The black and white diagrams are useful, but the many clinical photographs presented in black and white would have been better in color. This book serves as a fine review for the student interested in PTK. David Miller, MD Boston, MA