Human Eye [Paperback]

Clyde W. Oyster (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0878936440 | ISBN-13: 978-0878936441 | Publication Date: June 15, 1999

Understanding the eye requires an exploration of the relationship between its structure and its function--that is, a consideration not only of how the eye and its parts are constructed, but also of what they do and how they work. Thus this book considers both the structure and the function of the human eye and how they are related, often using functional issues as a guide to the most meaningful and important features of the anatomy. Limited use of technical terms from the various disciplines that relate to the eye, definitions of terms as they are used, a glossary, and suggestions for additional reading are all included to make the text accessible to readers for whom the subject is new. Boxes interspersed throughout the text discuss methods used to study the structure of the eye and surgical procedures used to alter its structure in beneficial ways. In addition to the main theme of structure and function, several subthemes make the general point, in different ways, that the eye and our understanding of it are dynamic and changing. Change on a geological timescale is represented by the evolutionary history of eyes generally and the human eye's place among the diversity of eyes in the animal kingdom; these issues are discussed in the Prologue. Change within a human lifetime begins with a chapter about the early stages of development in utero, continues throughout the book with the developmental histories of different parts of the eye, and concludes, in the Epilogue, with accounts of postnatal growth, maturation, and senescence. Change throughout human history in the way we have understood our eyes is another story, fragments of which are contained in a series of "vignettes" about some of the people and ideas that have influenced human thought about the eye over the past several thousand years.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is an elegant and immensely satisfying book on the anatomy and functioning of the human eye. Its breadth and depth make it appropriate for both vision practitioners and upper undergraduates and graduate students interested in vision research. . . . The overall look and feel of the book are gracious and very pleasing, which has come to be expected from Sinauer. . . . This is a landmark book on the eye which belongs in every biological, optometric and ophthalmological library. --Howard C. Howland, The Quarterly Review of Biology

About the Author

Clyde W. Oyster is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Physiological Optics of the School of Optometry at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Product Details

• Paperback: 766 pages
• Publisher: Sinauer Associates Incorporated (June 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878936440
• ISBN-13: 978-0878936441
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.4 x 1.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,107,177 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Human Eye; Structure and Function, Clyde W. Oyster, May 21, 2000

By 

F. Dow Smith - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Human Eye: Structure and Function (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book which covers comprehensively the structure and function of the human eye as its subtitle implies. The selection of subject matter is balanced, clearly presented and well illustrated. The book is sprinkled with interesting illustrated historical vignettes reminiscent of those in the classical Duke-Elder, which add, for me at least, valuable sparkle to the corresponding text. The book will be of great value to students studying the eye, professionals in the field, and perhaps equally to health professionals and students in other fields, or to any sophisticated reader looking for an up to date summary of the subject. There is an excellent expanded table of contents which can be browsed to get a quick overview of the text. Researchers will enjoy the book, but will not find specific references to the topic covered though there are comprehensive lists of sources for further reading. This is a book which deserves to be on the shelf of any collection of books about the eye

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant, August 7, 2006

By 

R. J. Rushmore (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Human Eye (Paperback)

This book is a well-written and wonderful example of scholarship at its best. The author draws from a tremendous breadth of research to generate a comprehensive understanding of the eye and its intricacies. Moreover, the writing is sufficiently well developed to make the text engaging and highly readable. Oyster imparts a remarkable enthusiasm for his material and does so by integrating aspects of cell biology, optics, pathology, anatomy and neurobiology. This is an excellent work and a pleasure to read.