General Medical Knowledge for Eyecare Paraprofessionals

The Basic Bookshelf for Eyecare Professionals is a series that provides fundamental and advanced material with a clinical approach to clinicians and students. A special effort was made to cover information needed for the certification exams in ophthalmic and optometric assisting, low vision, surgical assisting, opticianry, and contact lens examiners.General Medical Knowledgeis designed for those needing to learn or brush up on the anatomy and physiology of the human body. This book emphasizes the fact that the eye is part of the body as a whole and presents the basic concepts of anatomy and physiology as well as an overview of common diseases. The first section begins with cells and tissues, then discusses the various organ systems including cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, and nervous. The second section covers systemic diseases and disorders including connective tissue disease, age related disorders, and neoplastic disorders, with special emphasis on how each of these can affect the eye. This text will provide a solid foundation of general medical knowledge for those working as eyecare professionals.

Marvin Bittinger, MD 

Dr. Bittinger received a BA degree from Asbury College in Wilmore, KY in 1971. In 1974, he received his MD degree from the University of Tennessee. He is board certified in emergency medicine, and for the last 2 years has served as a medical director for Eyesight Associates, a 10-office eyecare practice in central Georgia. He is married and has two daughters.