Book excerpt: This book elucidates the principles of sound clinical examination in ophthalmology. Based on the author’s extensive teaching experience, it makes the case for arriving at a diagnosis through detailed clinical examinations, including history taking, knowledge of clinical epidemiology, and using only the most relevant clinical tests. Starting with basic chapters on relevant statistics and clinical epidemiology, the book covers history-taking, visual function assessment, slit lamp examination, and examinations of each important field (e.g. the lids, orbit, cornea, iris and pupil, glaucoma patients, sclera, lens, posterior segment, pediatric patient and neuro-ophthalmology) in separate chapters. Full of practical tips on examining patients at the clinic, the book also describes the rationale behind each clinical test and its interpretation. It is also hoped that teachers who come across this book will evaluate students on the basis of these relevant clinical examinations rather than quizzing them on esoteric clinical tests that are not routinely used and are of little clinical value. This book is intended to help all ophthalmologists, beginners and veterans alike, improve their clinical examination thinking and skills.