The Ophthalmic Office Procedures Handbook

PREFACE

The eye is the second most complex organ in the body. There are a myriad of procedures avail able to the eye care professional today. Many of these ophthalmic procedures can be performed in an office setting. Keen knowledge and skill are required to fully address patients’ needs. Utilizing this handbook can complement and elevate all eye care providers, no matter their current skill level. The core principles of all surgery are structure and function. Structure is the anatomy. Every clinician who performs any simple procedure or intricate surgery must have an intimate knowledge of the structure they plan to manipulate. Function involves the structure’s physi ology. Not only does one need to know the structure’s actions, but one needs to appreciate the downstream effects of any potential dysfunction that manipulation of the structure may cause. To be a truly adept, efficient, and overall competent surgeon, one needs to connect this knowledge of anatomy and physiology of any body part one wants to command in the opera tive arena. Most surgeons who consistently achieve this higher stratum of proficiency routinely admit to being able to visualize the surgical procedure before they even step into the operative suite. Since human beings are not widgets, these same surgeons are readily cognizant of both the human anatomic differences and the various physiologic exceptions. It is quite simple to encounter a surgical obstacle or, worse yet, a complication during any procedure one performs. This may occur even in those cases considered to be routine. It brings all the skill that the surgeon possesses to mitigate the untoward event and, if possible, rectify any complication to minimize its overall effect. How does one attain and build these procedural and surgical skills? Traditionally, formal training programs and continuing education skills-transfer lectures and hands-on workshops have been utilized. We propose an additional mode to use, at your convenience, which covers office-based surgical procedures available in written, pictorial, and video presentations. It will be especially beneficial to those in training yet equally valuable to the seasoned practitioner. We have compiled such a resource for you: The Ophthalmic Office Procedures Handbook. The Ophthalmic Office Procedures Handbook has been devised to equip the reader with de tailed and relevant surgical information constructed in a consistent and easy-to-use format. Most of the chapters contain specific key indications, contraindications, preoperative consid erations, and procedural points. Postoperative considerations are also thoroughly addressed. This part of the chapter should be of considerable value to those who are comanaging surgical patients. One of the most unique aspects of this surgical procedural handbook is its contribu tors. All have significant procedural and surgical experience in either performing the surgery or comanaging postoperative patients. This handbook’s contributors readily share their expertise

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