An ophthalmologist is an eye doctor who has specialized in the field of ophthalmology. Ophthalmologists are licensed medical or osteopathy doctors who upgrade their training in order to diagnose the various eye disorders that are known to affect the entire visual system. Some of the procedures they perform include: eye surgery, screening, treating eye diseases, eye examination and prescription of eye glasses and contact lenses.
The process of becoming an ophthalmologist is known to be lengthy, since it involves twelve years of training and can be longer if an individual pursues various subspecialties. The subspecialties involve specialization in specific eye care areas such as retinal diseases and paediatric ophthalmology. People interested in pursuing a course in ophthalmology are required to attain a four year training in college, a degree in medicine which involves a four year training in a medical school, one year for clinical training and a three year hospital based training in ophthalmology.
Trainees who complete their training are required to be board certified, that is to obtain a license that authorizes them to operate as ophthalmologists. Certification differs in various states hence it’s highly recommended that one should be well informed on the current details. An ophthalmologist job tasks involves managing both medical and psychological ophthalmic conditions. They also assess and examine the visual system of the patients in order to make a diagnosis.
They carry out surgical procedures like laser surgery and small incision surgery in order to treat eye diseases such as cataracts and glaucoma.
An ophthalmologist is also authorized to carry out tissue biopsy and use various therapeutic procedures like the laser therapy. He or she also gets to manage disorders like diabetes, genetic disorders or neurological disorders that affect the vision of a person. In addition, ophthalmologists work together as a team with other specialists, including ENT surgeons and neurologists in order to make informed decision on various medical conditions.
