Basic and Ocular Pharmacology BASIC AND OCULAR PHARMACOLOGY

Introduction The science of pharmacology is concerned with the effects of drugs on the function of living tissues (Greek: Pharmakos = drug, Logos = study). Since modern medicine relies heavily on drugs as the principal tool for the treatment and prevention of disease, it is important that all clinicians possess a basic understanding of the pharmacological principles that govern their clinical use. These include the mechanisms by which the body handles drugs, so that that the optimal dose can be delivered to the target tissue, coupled with an understanding of how drugs act at a cellular or molecular level so as to predict adverse reactions and interactions.