Main description:

In its long series of annual reports, the Belgian Society of Ophthal- mology has a tradition of bringing into focus the recent advances in ophthalmology. But it seems surprising that one has to go back to 1940 to find a major report on the corneal diseases, when R. Rub- brecht wrote an "Aperr;u de la pathologie et de la therapeutique generale des maladies de la cornee". However, this omission is only apparent. In fact, many reports, since then, have contributed to our knowledge of the advances in corneal research. The corneal dimensions were documented in "La biometrie ocu- laire clinique (Y. Delmarcelle et aI., 1976)", the fine structure of the cornea in "L'ultrastructure de tissues oculaires (L. Missotten, 1964)", and many aspects of its metabolism in "Les verres de contact (P. Cochet et ai, 1967)" and "Les complications oculaires des erreurs congenitales du metabolism (J.P. Groux et O. Kallay, 1971)" . Bacterial keratitis was a main topic in "La therapeutique par les antibiotiques autres que la Penicillamine en Ophtalmologie (1. Michiels, 1952). Fungal corneal infections were described in detail in "Les mycoses oculaires" (J . Fran90is et M.
Elewaut-Rysselaere, 1968)" and the toxic effects of drugs were dealt with in "Les effets nocifs des medications generales sur I'appareil visuel (J. Michiels et coil. 1972)".

Contents:

I. Diagnostic techniques in superficial keratitis.- Scrapings and smears.- Cultures.- Corneal replicas.- II. The cornea.- Tear film.- Epithelium.- Stroma.- Descemet's membrane.- Endothelium.- III. Healing of the epithelium.- Sliding of cells.- Mitosis.- Regeneration of basement membrane.- IV. Corneal erosions.- Multiple punctate erosions.- Recurrent erosions.- Persistent epithelial defects.- V. Filamentary keratitis.- VI. Fine punctate epithelial keratitis.- Warts.- Molluscum contagiosum.- VII. Coarse punctate keratitis.- Adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis.- Pharyngoconjunctival fever.- Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.- Chlamydial keratoconjunctivitis.- Trachoma.- Inclusion conjunctivitis.- Thygeson's superficial punctate keratitis.- VIII. The herpes virus.- Herpes simplex.- Herpes zoster.- IX. The dry eye syndrome.- Dry spots.- Keratoconjunctivitis sicca.- X. Marginal keratitis.- Staphylococcal blepharoconjunctivitis.- Superior limbic keratoconjunctivitis.- XI. Management of superficial keratitis.