Foreword

In 1961, Robert N Shaffer and Bernard Becker published the first edition of this book, which has become a classic guide for the practical management of glaucoma. At that time, glaucoma was generally believed to be a disease that could be diagnosed by the level of intraocular pressure alone. The early and progressive changes in the optic disc, although previously described, were not widely recognized or appreciated. Optic disc photography was available but was seldom used.Visual fields were examined by practitioners with varying skills, using a variety of techniques, but there was no standardization to the process. Medical treatment was limited to a few drugs, which often caused uncomfortable or even serious side effects. Surgery for open-angle glaucoma involved full-thickness procedures with a common postoperative course of hypotony, flat anterior chamber, and choroidal detachment. Most importantly, there was no systematic approach to the diagnosis, classification, and management of these diseases. Such an approach was presented in the first edition, and that may have been its greatest contribution. Practitioners received a guidebook written by knowledgeable clinicians that

could be easily understood and followed to clarify the management of these complex diseases grouped together under the heading of glaucoma.

Nearly 50 years later, there have been seven authors of new editions of this textbook.All of the authors were trained or influenced by Drs Becker and Shaffer. All of the authors pursued the goal of a book that is simple to understand and can be a guide to the busy practitioner. The eighth edition presents new material on epidemiology, genetics, pathophysiology, psychophysical testing of visual function, optic disc and nerve fiber layer imaging, clinical trials, preferred practice plans, medication, and surgery. The information is updated, but the goal of the book remains the same – a practical guide to the management of glaucoma for the practitioner.We believe Drs Stamper, Lieberman, and Drake succeeded admirably in meeting this goal.

H Dunbar Hoskins, Jr, MD

Michael A Kass, MD