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Ophthalmologist - Career Profile |
Career OverviewOphthalmology is the medical field designated for the study, diagnosis, and care of conditions affecting the eye. An ophthalmologist is a physician with special training in the medical and surgical care of the eye and visual system. Increasingly, they also have a strong background in the study of techniques for the prevention of eye disease and injury.
A typical ophthalmologist performs a range of functions; they are often the equivalent of a general practitioner within the designated scope of ophthalmologic medicine. They perform routine eye exams and may educate patients in the routine good practice of caring for their eyes.
Ophthalmologists will also diagnose and treat eye disorders and diseases, many of which drastically affect a patient’s ability to see. The role of the ophthalmologist is to help individuals and families maintain the highest quality of sight.
Ophthalmologists offer prescriptions of eyeglasses, perform surgeries relating to the eye and the visual system, and they may manage eye problems that are related or caused by an illness or injury that is not manifested in the eye or visual system.
Depending upon the choice that they made graduating from medical school, ophthalmologists are either referred to as medical doctors (MD) or as doctors of osteopathy (DO).
Many ophthalmologists work in hospitals and specialist clinics where surgeries may be preformed by the trained and experienced ophthalmologists on staff. However, many ophthalmologists practice similarly to family doctors or general practitioners of medicine. Like these professionals, many ophthalmologists practice general care, performing routine check-ups to assess vision quality and other important indicators of eye and visual system quality and functionality.
Whilst their schedules may be as hectic as regular practicing medical doctors, ophthalmologists have such a degree of specialty in the care of a vital organ that their options to develop private practices and thus control their own schedule are plenty.
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Career RequirementsAn ophthalmologist must fulfil the education and experience requirements established by federal and state government to practice medicine.
For entry into any education program to become an ophthalmologist, a doctor of medicine degree is required from an approved school of medicine. It is also mandatory that candidates complete at least four years of graduate medical education in ophthalmology before practicing.
To work as an ophthalmologist, an individual must complete four years of medical school, a one-year internship, and three years of residency. Opportunities for additional fellowship training exist in the diagnosis and treatment of corneal diseases, in the diagnosis and treatment of retina and vitreous diseases, in the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, in pediatric ophthalmology, and in surgery.
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Job OutlookThe ability to see is often something people take for granted, unaware of the many diseases, malformations, and injuries to which the human eye and visual system are susceptible. Whilst there have been dramatic advances in the field, ophthalmology still have many doors to open.
Surgery, prescription medication and eyeglasses, these all have a vital role to play in preserving the ability to see many millions of people. Limited vision, whether or not it extends to blindness, partial blindness, or color blindness, has an impact on quality of life. Ophthalmologists, no matter where or in what capacity they work, can have a positive impact on people’s lives and a dynamic and rewarding career.
Particularly as the elderly population of the United States expands, with the baby boomer generation reaching 65 years of age, the prevalence of visual impairment, resulting from disease or even long-term degeneration, is likely to increase. Job opportunities for ophthalmologists, as for other medical professionals, are likely to grow over the next decade.
Not only is there expected to be overwhelming opportunity for practicing ophthalmologists, opportunities to work as educators, researchers, and policy-makers within the field are also likely to be considerable.
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Career TrackMany career opportunities exist for qualified ophthalmologists in the United States. On the one hand, many of those opportunities consist of steady employment in a general practice, often performing routine care and follow-up with patients who have minor problems with their eyes and visual systems. In a general practice, an ophthalmologist will treat children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly.
On the other hand, some ophthalmologists may find employment in a specialist hospital or clinic. They may work to diagnose and treat severe cases of eye and visual system disease or injury. They may specialize in an area of ophthalmology, such as surgery or pediatric ophthalmology.
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CompensationThe average reported salary for a typical ophthalmologist in the United States is approximately $200,000 per year. Depending upon their qualifications and experience, most ophthalmologists in the United States earn between $129,000 and $287,000 per year, depending on their level of expertise and where they work.
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