Specialty Contact Lenses
Different interesting standard books on contact lenses are available internationally for eye care practitioners. These include, among others, the sixth edition of the book “Contact Lenses” by Anthony J. Phillips and Lynne Speedwell, pub-lished by Elsevier, and in Germany the book “Kontaktlinsen Know-How” (Contact Lens Know-How), edited by Andrea Müller-Treiber and published by DOZ Verlag Optische Fach-veröffentlichung. New since July 2025 is the book “Speciality Contact Lenses” edited by Daddi Fadel and Melissa Barnett. Both editors are internationally renowned optometrists. They teach and do research at the Centre for Ocular Research and Education at the University of Waterloo and the Department of Optometry at the University of California, Davis. In addition to the two editors, 40 other experts, primarily from the field of optometry, contributed to this book. An e-book version is included in the retail price.
The book is divided into the following sections:
Part 1: Advancing Specialty Contact Lens Practice
Part 2: Planned Extended Wear
Part 3: Rehabilitative Contact Lenses
Part 4: Therapeutic Contact Lenses
Part 5: Prosthetic and Cosmetic Contact Lenses
Part 6: Myopia Control
Part 7: Ortho-K Lenses
Part 8: Applications for Pediatric and Aging Populations Part 9: Enhanced Contact Lenses
Part 10: Smart Contact Lenses
Part 11: Handling and Care
Each part of the book is subdivided into different sections, with a total of 30 chapters covering a wide range of topics related to contact lenses.
The content of the book covers all topics relevant to the field of specialty contact lenses. It impresses with its successful combination of scientific depth and clinical relevance. In this context, Chapter 2, “Basic Anatomy and Physiology of the Ocular Surface,” is especially noteworthy. It is written by Jan P. G. Bergmanson, who teaches and does research at the University of Houston, College of Optometry and is highly respected internationally as an expert in this field. Jan P. G. Bergmanson is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the German peer-reviewed journal “Optometry & Contact Lenses (OCL)”. In his chapter, Jan P. G. Bergmanson once again focuses on the areas of “cornea,” “structural layers of the cornea and their thickness,” “corneal physiology,” “limbus,” and “conjunctiva.” In this context, the excellent illustrations 2.3 “Epithelium” and 2.4 “Epithelial stem cells and the x, y, z theory,” which he designed himself, are of particular importance. It would go beyond the scope of a book review to describe each chapter of the book in detail, but Chapter 21, “Ortho-K Lenses,” is also likely to be of interest in the context of “myopia control,” particularly because the internationally renowned authors Pauline Cho and Stephen J. Vincent are responsible for this chapter. The authors describe the entire field of orthokeratology in great detail, from patient selection to safety and non-compliance. I particularly liked Table 21.2, “Elements of Good Clinical Practice in Orthokeratology,” which provides a concise and extremely precise overview of all the elements of safe Ortho-K care. All other chapters of the book are also characterized by their great professional relevance and the enormous number of references to each chapter, which allows interested readers to get a deeper understanding of the topics discussed.
In summary, this textbook is a comprehensive compendium of contact lens practice, which is characterized by its high degree of current relevance. It is equally interesting for optometrists and ophthalmologists as well as students of both eye care professions.
