Book excerpt: The Slit Lamp Primeris the complete book on the slit lamp for the ophthalmic and optometric office. Now updated into asecond edition, this user-friendly introduction to the slit lamp microscope highlights the instrument's basic parts as well as examination and illumination techniques. Janice Ledford and Valerie Sanders explain more than just the fundamentals of the slit lamp. Written in a conversational style with supplemental photographs and diagrams,The Slit Lamp Primerdelves into issues concerning the normal, postoperative, and problematic eye. Features of the patient history, including medications, are examined in light of the possible slit lamp findings. Detailed notes for proper documentation are included, along with tables to give guidelines for subjective grading of the findings. Updated and key features: The examination of patients on various systemic medications with a list of drugs that may have side effects visible with the slit lamp The examination of post-operative patients, with a new section that focuses on patients who have undergone refractive surgery Up-to-date study icons, key points listed at the beginning of each chapter, and "What the Patient Needs to Know" sidebars Photographs and descriptions of parts and care of the slit lamp Atlas of photographs of the normal eye Photographs of pathology Tables to assist in contact lens evaluation The Slit Lamp Primer, Second Editionis a valuable addition to the reference library of any ophthalmic and optometric paraprofessional or student. Explore the workings of a useful and effective instrument with the most practical and user-friendly book on the subject available today.