Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology
US Navy Commander Kenneth Kubis and U.S. Air Force Captain Tighe Richardson use an operating microscope while performing cataract eye surgery
SystemEye and visual system
Significant diseasesCataract, retinal disease (including diabetic retinopathy and other types of retinopathy), glaucoma, corneal disease, eyelid and orbital disorders, uveitis, strabismus and disorders of the ocular muscles, ocular neoplasms (malignancies, or cancers, and benign eye tumors), neuro-ophthalmologic disorders (including disorders of the optic nerve)
Significant testsOphthalmoscopy, visual field test, optical coherence tomography
SpecialistOphthalmologist
GlossaryGlossary of medicine
Ophthalmologist
Occupation
NamesPhysician
Surgeon
Occupation type
Specialty
Activity sectors
Medicine, surgery
Description
Education required
Doctor of Medicine (MD),
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO),
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS),
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB)
Fields of
employment
Hospitals, Clinics

Ophthalmology (/ˌɒfθælˈmɒlədʒi/, OFF-thal-MOL-ə-jee)[1] is a clinical and surgical specialty within medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of eye disorders.[2] A former term is oculism.

An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care.[3] Following a medical degree, a doctor specialising in ophthalmology must pursue additional postgraduate residency training specific to that field. This may include a one-year integrated internship that involves more general medical training in other fields such as internal medicine or general surgery. Following residency, additional specialty training (or fellowship) may be sought in a particular aspect of eye pathology.[4]

Ophthalmologists prescribe medications to treat ailments, such as eye diseases, implement laser therapy, and perform surgery when needed.[5] Ophthalmologists provide both primary and specialty eye care—medical and surgical.[5] Most ophthalmologists participate in academic research on eye diseases at some point in their training and many include research as part of their career.[6] Ophthalmology has always been at the forefront of medical research with a long history of advancement and innovation in eye care.[7]

  1. ^ "ophthalmology". Oxford Dictionaries UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. n.d. Retrieved 2015-09-14. "Definition of ophthalmology". Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2022..
  2. ^ "History of Ophthalmology". mrcophth.com. Archived from the original on 2017-08-08. Retrieved 2013-08-31.
  3. ^ "Ophthalmology". American Medical Association. Archived from the original on 2020-07-25. Retrieved 2020-03-28.
  4. ^ Boyd, Kierstan (6 June 2016). "Ophthalmology Subspecialists". American Academy of Ophthalmology. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  5. ^ a b Smith, Yolanda (5 September 2016). "Ophthalmology". News-Medical.net. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  6. ^ Churchill, Jennifer; Gudgel, Dan T. (1 November 2013). "What is an Ophthalmologist?". American Academy of Ophthalmology. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  7. ^ "History of Ophthalmology". eyewiki.aao.org. EyeWiki. Archived from the original on 2022-07-22. Retrieved 2022-07-22.