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The second volume covers a broad range of conjunctival
and corneal diseases, again with particular
emphasis being placed on problem management.
Various new surgical approaches are currently
being evaluated in the clinical setting, an example
of which is posterior lamellar keratoplasty in
Fuchs endothelial disease. While amniotic membrane
transplantation has been in use for some
years and for a range of indications, it is now
becoming more and more popular for the treatment
of ulceration in infectious keratitis. Tissue-
engineered scaffolds as templates for corneal
reconstruction are being investigated for possible
future surgical approaches. Phototherapeutic
keratectomy has been established for some years
in the therapeutic repertoire for various phenotypes
of corneal dystrophy: this intervention
is now safe and effective in many patients with
superficial dystrophic corneal opacities or recurrent
erosion.
Molecular genetic evidence of corneal dystrophies
is fascinating and has led to a completely
new classification.
The chapter on corneal preservation shows the
challenge for tissue banking behind the new
surgical approaches. Inflammatory diseases of
the cornea and conjunctiva remain a continuing
challenge in every external eye disease clinic, described
in the chapters on herpes simplex keratitis,
ocular pemphigoid, adult inclusion conjunctivitis,
and chronic blepharitis. Understanding
of the biology of conjunctival melanoma is improving
and confocal microscopy may become
established as a new diagnostic aid and follow-up
technique.
We hope you enjoy reading this book. |