Ophthalmology
Nature of
the work
Ophthalmologists care for patients who have
acute eye, as well as managing those with long term eye
disease. Ophthalmology is a mixed medical and surgical specialty
and there are many diverse ophthalmological problems encountered in
the UK. Most ophthalmologists also have a sub-specialty interest,
which may, or may not be surgical.
Working in ophthalmology
Ophthalmology practice is very varied,
dealing with medical issues such intra-ocular inflammation, raised
eye pressure and neurological problems.
Ophthalmologists manage patients with minor
and major eye injuries, patients with long term diseases of the eye
such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration
(in which there are exciting new developments in diagnosis and
treatment).
Ophthalmologists undertake surgery of the eye,
which is usually performed with the aid of an operating microscope
and may involve lasers. Types of surgery include:
- cataract surgery
- glaucoma surgery
- surgery for retinal disorders
- corneal transplantation
- oculoplastic surgery.
Specialists can develop interests in a number
of different areas. For example, ophthalmologists with a paediatric
interest deal with eye diseases in children due to abnormal
development, strabismus (squint) and a variety of other conditions
seen more commonly in adults such as glaucoma and cataracts.
Medical retinal specialists deal with retinal disease, including
its onset in patients with such diverse conditions as diabetes,
age-related macular degeneration and HIV/AIDS.
New technology and treatments have allowed
ophthalmologists to manage patients with several diseases in a much
more effective way, and this trend is likely to continue as
services expand. In the future, community or primary care
ophthalmologists will increasingly carry out simple procedures.
This will allow patients with more complex problems requiring
specialised and expensive technology, to be treated by
hospital-based ophthalmologists.
Common procedures / interventions
Ophthalmologists carry out cataract surgery,
which is the most frequently performed operation and a very
successful procedure that is in great demand. Ophthalmic surgical
procedures have benefited from huge improvements in technology in
the last ten to fifteen years, resulting in earlier surgery with
vast improvements in patient lifestyle. Further improvements have
occurred in the delivery of eye surgery, with most operations dealt
with as day cases.
Associated sub specialties
Sub specialisation has become the norm for
many doctors within ophthalmology, which include:
- cornea and anterior segment
- medical retina
- glaucoma
- oculoplastic surgery (plastic surgery around the eye)
- paediatric ophthalmology
- surgical retina (vitreo-retinal surgeons)
- primary care
- medical and neuro-ophthalmology.
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