Fact and Fiction of Healthy Vision: Eye Care for Adults and Children    by Clyde K. Kitchen Order:  USA  Can Praeger, 2007 (2007) Hardcover     Reviewed by Hilary Williamson As the baby boomer generation ages and its eyesight deteriorates, while everywhere we are bombarded by marketing hype on new eye treatments and surgeries, more and more of us will seek information on the Fact and Fiction of Healthy Vision. In his useful reference, experienced ophthalmologist Clyde K. Kitchen lays out what he knows in an informative and accessible manner, with a Glossary of terms at the back of the book. He begins with a straightforward introduction to the mechanics of the eye and the causes of nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism. I was intrigued by a brief treatise on how eye color is determined (and that it changes depending on the size of the pupil) as well as a clear and concise explanation of floaters (which I unfortunately have), and why pupils need to be dilated for eye exams. The author continues to address eye development; congenital problems; when screening is advised; eye problems in sports; glasses and different types of contact lenses; what is normal vision; and common problems - from red eye to cross-eyed and wall-eyed. He moves on to Age-Related Eye Problems, covering diagnosis and treatment for: age-related vision loss; cataracts, glaucoma; and macular degeneration - if you have a family history of any of these visual problems, you'll be as interested as I was. After this, Dr. Kitchen covers unusual conditions - like diabetes and neurologic conditions that affect vision - and explains what to expect from various eye surgeries in some depth. The last part of the book, Consumer Information, talks about different types of caregivers (and how the boundaries are blurring between some of them); common medications; and a historical perspective on eye care, plus future directions. Dr. Kitchen tells us that he wrote the book 'to help people know the basics about their own eyes, to point out some of their choices in eye care, and to help them make informed decisions.' He certainly succeeds in that objective in Fact and Fiction of Healthy Vision. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more NonFiction books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews