Do You Need An Ophthalmologist?

When you want to get operated on, you choose a surgeon who has specialized in that field of medicine.

Like for your heart, you’d choose a cardiologist and in the same way for your eye surgery needs, you'd choose an ophthalmologist (often mis-spelled as opthamologist).

Let's take a look at what ophthalmologists do for your eyes.

Besides your routine eye check-ups, ophthalmologists offer an entire plethora of eye care including medical treatment of eye problems and illnesses or diseases.

Just like any other doctor such as an optician or optometrist, this eye care professional also goes through quite a few pains to be able to treat you and your eyes well.

After four years of undergraduate study and four years of medical school, a degree of M.D or D.O is obtained.

The ophthalmologist then complete a year of internship and then go on to 3 years training in a residency program.

The program needs to be approved by the ACGME.

Sub-specializations are offered which allows them to check and operate on specific sections of your eyes.

These fields include:

• Anterior segment surgery• Cataract• Cornea, ocular surface, and external disease• Eye trauma• Glaucoma• Neuro-Ophthalmology• Ocular oncology• Oculo-plastic surgery• Ophthalmic pathology• Pediatric-Ophthalmology/Strabismus (squint)• Refractive surgery• Retina and Vitreous• Uveitis/Immunology

To practice, a license from a state regulatory board is required that states that the person is qualified to practice medicine and surgery.

A certification from the American Board of Ophthalmology is also required which will ensure that they’ve taken and passed the prescribed two-part rigorous examination that tests their knowledge, skill and expertise.

This way, the board makes sure your eyes are in safe and trustworthy hands.