Ophthalmologist Job Description

Opthamologists specialize in diagnosing and treating disorders of the eye. They prescribe medicine, perform surgery, and work in hospitals, clinics and private practices.

Definition

An opthamologist is a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and repairing disorders and conditions of the eye, and managing patients' long-term eye health.

Daily Duties

Opthamologists regularly see patients who have been referred to them by family doctors or optometrists.

Diagnosis

Opthamologists use many tricks and tools to find out what's wrong with a patient's eyes. The most common is called an opthalmoscope, and it allows the doctor to see the patient's inner eye.

Surgery

Unlike optometrists, opthamologists are fully licensed to practice medicine. This means they can perform surgery, such as removing foreign objects from the eyes or performing a cornea transplant.

First Line Of Defense

Opthamologists must know the disorders of the eyes but must also know how other bodily disorders show themselves in the eyes. For this reason, they often are the first to detect serious health problems such as brain tumors, diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Education

Opthamologists require four years of college, four years of medical school, a one-year internship and a three-year hospital residency.

References

• Opthamologist Job Description
• American Academy Of Opthamology