Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems. Since ophthalmologists perform operations on eyes, they are both surgical and medical specialists. A multitude of diseases and conditions can be diagnosed from the eye.

OPT Ophthalmologists diagnose, treat and prevent disorders of the eyes and visual system.
Ophthalmology is a mixed medical and surgical specialty. There are many diverse ophthalmological problems encountered in the UK, particularly in an increasingly aged population. Ophthalmology practice is very diverse, dealing with a variety of issues and clinical conditions.
Common conditions encountered include:
• corneal pathology (diseases of the cornea, the thin transparent surface that forms the front of the eyeball)
• cataracts (where the lens of the eye loses transparency)
• glaucoma (where the fluid pressure insides the eyes increases, causing visual problems)
• squints
• retinal problems (such as bleeding, tears or detachment of the retina, the back inner surface of the eye that receives light)
• intraocular inflammation (inflammation within the eye)
• eye-related neurological problems

Ophthalmologists also manage patients with the following conditions:
• major and minor eye injuries
• infectious eye disease
• chronic diseases of the eye such as diabetic retinopathy (disease affecting the retina caused by diabetes) and age-related macular degeneration (deterioration of the macula, the central area of the retina)
Ophthalmic patients encompass the whole age range, from premature babies to the most senior members of the population. Patients are generally well and their conditions not life-threatening. However, eye symptoms and disorders are very common and can cause considerable anxiety. Sympathetic advice and reassurance is often required in addition to diagnosis and treatment. Ophthalmologists undertake eye surgery, which is usually performed with the aid of an operating microscope and may involve lasers.
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye.
All evaluations that purport to diagnose eye disease should be carried out by a physician. An ophthalmologist is a doctor of medicine who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of the eye, in addition to diagnosing systemic disease that manifest in eye signs or symptoms.
Since ophthalmologists perform operations on eyes, they are considered to be both surgical and medical specialists.
In fact, the only health professional trained both medically and surgically to treat eye disorders — especially the most serious eye diseases such as macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma — is an ophthalmologist.
Ophthalmologists offer a comprehensive approach to ocular symptoms and disease. As well as diagnosing and treating ocular disease either by medical or surgical means, ophthalmologists offer comprehensive ocular-visual assessment, which may include the prescription of corrective lenses.
In Canada, graduates of medical school must complete an ophthalmology residency to become an ophthalmologist. The residency lasts a minimum of five years after the MD degree.
Extensive surgical experience is incorporated into the last 24 months of training to become an ophthalmologist. Many ophthalmologists continue their training for a further 12-24 months in a variety of subspecialties.
Historically, the practice of ophthalmology has encompassed all aspects of visual function in health and disease, including refraction, orthoptics, binocular vision and strabismus. Medical and surgical treatment of disease involving the visual system and awareness of ocular manifestations of systemic disease are also an integral part of the practice of ophthalmology.
As a discipline, ophthalmology also applies to animal eyes, since the differences from human practice are surprisingly minor and are related mainly to variations in anatomy or prevalence as opposed to disease processes.
However, veterinary medicine is traditionally regulated separately in most countries, including Canada, resulting in few ophthalmologists treating both humans and animals.