Ophthalmology is one of the branches of medicine. The MSN Encarta defines ophthalmology as the ‘medical study and treatment of eyes: the branch of medicine that is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases and conditions’.
An ophthalmologist is an MD (Medical Doctor) or a DO (Doctor of Osteopathy). Treatment may include surgical procedures.
Ophthalmology Training
Ophthalmologists go through a long and rigorous training process before they qualify to be licensed.
To qualify, one must go through a pre-med course which lasts about 4 years, medical school for another 4 years, one year of medical internship and 3 or four years of ophthalmological residency. The total duration of training an ophthalmologist goes through comes to about 12 years.
An ophthalmologist is first and foremost a medical doctor. He is therefore able to provide more comprehensive eye care for patients.
Before treating any patient, the ophthalmologist will be able to consider the medical history and its relation to the patient’s eye health in order to make a diagnosis. He will use his medical and surgical training to arrive at the best course of action for treatment.
Before commencing treatment, the ophthalmologist carries out a comprehensive eye exam.
During the eye exam the ophthalmologist will check eye pressure, check if you need glasses or whether the prescription for you glasses has changed and will also check on the general health of the eyes.
He will then decide the necessary treatment which may either be prescribing eye glasses or contact lenses, prescribing medication or surgery.
Ophthalmologists are able to carry out complicated eye surgeries and this is because of the period during residency that they spend observing and performing these surgeries. Besides diagnosing eye diseases an ophthalmologist can also diagnosis diseases affecting other parts of the body because he is a medical doctor.
Majority of the people do not know the difference between an ophthalmologist and an optometrist. While these two professions have certain similarities, there is a distinct difference between them. What is an optometrist vs ophthalmologist?
Ophthalmology or Optometry?
An optometrist is qualified to prescribe eye glasses, diagnose eye diseases and treat them. He is not a medical doctor but is referred to as a Doctor of Optometry (OD) because he has a professional degree. More often than not, an optometrist will refer patients to an ophthalmologist when their eye problem is surgical or very complicated.
More and more ophthalmologist and optometrists are working hand in hand in the co-management of patients.
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