Short description:

The Handbook of Nutrition in Ophthalmology is the first general text on nutrition and eye health created for physicians, nutritionists, and researchers. Dr. Richard D. Semba provides important links between the epidemic of obesity and implications it has for eye disease and blindness. The volume addresses three broad themes throughout. The first is that a healthy diet as a major lifelong habit will likely have an impact on reducing a substantial portion of visual impairment and blindness. The second is that a historical perspective is essential to understanding current challenges in ophthalmology, medicine, and public health. The third theme is that many nutrients play a role in oxidative stress and inflammation, and this theory has emerged as a major underlying hypothesis in the pathogenesis of eye diseases. The volume also includes chapters addressing nutritional aspects of preventing eye disease in diabetes mellitus and other optical neuropathies, making the Handbook of Nutrition in Ophthalmology a unique book for a broad spectrum of physicians and practitioners.

Long description:

The Nutrition and Health series of books have, as an overriding mission, to provide health professionals with texts that are considered essential because each includes: 1) a synthesis of the state of the science, 2) timely, in-depth reviews by the leading researchers in their respective fields, 3) extensive, up-to-date fully annotated reference lists, 4) a detailed index, 5) relevant tables and figures, 6) identification of paradigm shifts and the consequences, 7) virtually no overlap of information between chapters, but targeted, inter-chapter referrals, 8) suggestions of areas for future research and 9) balanced, da- driven answers to patient/health professionals questions which are based upon the totality of evidence rather than the findings of any single study. The series volumes are not the outcome of a symposium. Rather, each editor has the potential to examine a chosen area with a broad perspective, both in subject matter as well as in the organization of their volume. The international perspective, especially with regard to public health initiatives, is emphasized where appropriate. The editors, whose trainings are both research and practice oriented, have the opportunity to develop a primary objective for their book; define the scope and focus, and then may invite the leading authorities from around the world to be part of their initiative. The editor/authors are encouraged to provide an overview of the field, discuss their own research and relate the research findings to potential human health consequences.

From the reviews:

"This is a comprehensive overview of the history of and current knowledge about the relationship between diet and eye diseases across the life span. ? The book is written for physicians, eyecare professionals, nutritionists, and researchers. In practice, students and researchers interested in nutrition and eye disease will likely find this book most useful. ? a generally high quality book that those interested in nutrition and eye disease will find useful as an overview of specific topics as well as the field in general." (Suzen M Moeller, Doody?s Review Service, January, 2008)

"Dr Semba?s text covers the broad field of nutrition and ophthalmology. The content of the 12 chapters covers specific disease entitites e.g., AMD and cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and inborn errors of metabolism and specific nutrients (e.g., vitamis C, E, A, and B-complex, zinc, fatty acids) and their relation to ocular disease.  It is a unique text in that all chapters were written by one author and cover a large area of material ranging from an historical overview, epidemiology, pathology and treatment of the condition.  The text provides important and new authoritative information on the relation of nutrition to ocular disorders which will reward the reader with a wealth of insightful information. (Sight and Life Magazine, Issue 3, 2007)

"...an excellent reference, particularly for clinical researchers and public policy experts interested in the most up-to-date information on any possible relationship between the emerging science of nutrition and eye health.  (JAMA)

Table of Contents:

Nutritional Blindness (Vitamin A Deficiency Disorders).- Cataract.- Age-Related Macular Degeneration.- The Obesity Epidemic.- Nutrition and Diabetic Retinopathy.- Retinal Vascular Disease.- Nutritional Amblyopia and B Complex Vitamin Deficiencies.- Zinc and Eye Health.- Vitamin C and Eye Health.- The Age-Related Proinflammatory State and Eye Disease.- Essential Fatty Acids and Visual Development in Infants.- Inborn Errors of Metabolism.