Opthalmology
By Paul Adams
Ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye disorders. They are among the most professionally satisfied of all physicians.
The reason? The span of this speciality—which includes both primary medicine and surgery—is broad: there are opportunities to treat children as well as adults, practitioners are involved in both primary care and highly specialized areas, and relationships between opthalmologists and patients are often close and can continue over many years.
Ophthalmology is sometimes regarded as a highly specialized field, but practitioners are primary care physicians who practice a mixture of medicine and surgery, spending typically four days a week in the office and one day in surgery. Ophthalmologists frequently work with and consult with other physicians and specialists as well.
Students considering ophthalmology should understand that unlike optometrists, ophthalmologists are medical doctors who specialize in eye disorders. You’ll need to plan your academic work in college so you’ll be ready to apply to medical school. Ophthalmologists generally have a minimum of 12 years of education, including general clinical training, residency, and sometimes, a subspecialty fellowship. Also, Ophthalmologists must have unusually good visual and motor skills for clinical and surgical practice.
Most ophthalmologists choose to practice general ophthalmology and work either alone or in a group practice. Highly refined methods of diagnosis and treatment have resulted in the development of a number of subspecialties within the field.
• Cornea and External Disease involves both the diagnosis and management of diseases of the cornea. Training in this area frequently includes corneal transplant surgery.
• Glaucoma Specialization includes the treatment of glaucoma and other disorders that may cause optic nerve damage.
• Neuro-ophthalmology involves the relationship between neurologic and ophthalmic diseases. It is usually practiced as a nonsurgical subspecialty, but it can be combined with surgery.
• Ophthalmic Pathology involves the study of specific diseases of the eye; the practitioner often examines and evaluates eye tissue specimens.
• Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery includes lid work and reconstructions of the upper face after removal of tumors or trauma.
• Pediatric Ophthalmology involves the treatment of eye disorders in infants and children.
• Vitreoretinal Diseases are those which affect the retina and vitreous tissue.
Opportunities for growth
Currently, there are more than 45,000 ophthalmologists practicing in the United States. The growing popularity of laser vision correction operations such as LASIK or PRK has created even more opportunities for ophthalmologists. These procedures utilize lasers in order to permanently treat vision problems.The supply and demand may vary, but advances in ophthalmic care and an aging population suggest that there will be a growing need for ophthalmic practitioners in the future.
Do you think you might enjoy a career as an ophthalmologist? If so, visit the website of the American Academy of Ophthalmology at www.aao.org for a useful guide to the history and current practice of ophthalmology.
2009
