Review of the textbook “Praktyczna okulistyka dziecięca” (Practical Pediatric Ophthalmology)

At the beginning of 2020, the handbook “Practical Pediatric Ophthalmology” was published by Wydawnictwo Medyczne Górnicki. The authors are: assistant professor Anna Gotz-Więckowska, MD, PhD and Marta Pawlak, MD – ophthalmologists highly experienced in the diagnostics and treatment of paediatric ophthalmological diseases.
The textbook is divided into three main sections. In the first, the authors describe methods of examining young children and common refractive errors, in the second – the most common eye disorders in children in the neonatal and infant period, and in the third – eye diseases of early childhood and school age. The authors present basic methods of ophthalmologic examinations carried out in children as well as tests that should be performed in patients with strabismus, nystagmus, suspected glaucoma, and in children with no visual contact. Individual chapters present diseases of the orbit, protective apparatus, anterior and posterior segment of the eye occurring in children. Developmental anomalies of these structures are particularly detailed. Separate chapters are devoted to increased intracranial pressure, ocular complications in the course of general diseases, and eye injuries. Following chapters present therapeutic procedures for individual diseases. Separate chapters describe how to deal with the following symptoms: white pupil, headache and nystagmus.
The authors cite statistics developed by leading centres on individual diseases and rely on authorities in given areas. In addition, references to the recommendations made by reputable scientific societies, e.g. German, British or American, regarding the management of certain diseases are valuable. The advantage of the work is a large number of original photos showing diagnostic methods and pathological changes of the protective apparatus, anterior segment and fundus found in children.
“Practical Pediatric Ophthalmology” is the first for a long time textbook describing diagnostic methods, the most common ophthalmological diseases of childhood and treatment methods developed by Polish authors.
Diagnostics and treatment of pediatric ophthalmological diseases – the, so-called, “pediatric ophthalmology” – is an additional skill of doctors getting their specialization in ophthalmology. The skill requires patience, predisposition and experience in working with young patients, often very difficult to cooperate with.
The textbook by Anna Gotz-Więckowska and Marta Pawlak will facilitate acquiring knowledge of this additional skill to resident doctors, ophthalmologists taking their first steps in this field, as well as will help expanding the knowledge of experienced pediatric ophthalmologists. I would like to congratulate the authors, and I highly recommend “Practical Pediatric Ophthalmology”.

The author of the review is the Chairman of Ophthalmology Department of The Children’s Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw.