Ophthalmologist

An ophthalmologist is a physician who specializes in the medical and surgical care of the eye and the visual system. They diagnose and treat eye diseases, perform eye surgeries, and manage conditions that affect vision, from refractive errors to complex ocular disorders. Ophthalmologists may also provide routine eye exams, prescribe medications, and advise on vision rehabilitation and prevention.

Education and training typically require earning a medical degree (MD or DO) followed by a residency in ophthalmology, usually lasting three to four years. Many ophthalmologists pursue one or more fellowships in subspecialties such as retina, glaucoma, cornea, pediatric ophthalmology, neuro-ophthalmology, oculoplastic/orbital surgery, or uveitis. Certification standards vary by country; in the United States, board certification through the American Board of Ophthalmology is common though not always required for practice.

Ophthalmologists perform a range of surgical procedures including cataract extraction, glaucoma surgeries, retinal repairs, corneal transplants, refractive surgery, and eyelid or orbital procedures. They use diagnostic tools such as slit-lamp examination, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, and ocular ultrasound. They treat conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, conjunctivitis, ocular trauma, and thyroid eye disease. They may work in hospitals, private clinics, or academic centers and collaborate with optometrists, nurses, and other specialists to provide comprehensive eye care. In many health systems, ophthalmology is distinct from optometry, where optometrists provide primary vision care and non-surgical treatment, while ophthalmologists perform surgeries and manage complex diseases.