ocular oncology

[anxietypeaker]

I was wondering if anyone can comment on what kind of fellowship would be typical for a person interested in academia and working on ocular tumors (both research and surg/med treatment). I hear that orbital tumors and such can fall into oculopplastics. But what about corneal melanomas or intraocular uveal melanomas? Are there particular fellowships specialties that would lend itself well to academia and working on ocular tumors.

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[ophthope]

Ocular oncology is one of the more rare Ophthalmology fellowships, but if you are really looking to do a lot of work with ocular tumors in academia then that's the subspecialty that makes the most sense.

 

[Visionary]

Every good ocular tumor doc I can think of has done VR +/- an Ocular Onc fellowship. Some even have Ocular Path training. Oculoplastics docs don't need Onc training, as they are just the ones who will enucleate for large tumors. They aren't going to plaque or resect.

 

[ophthope]

I stand corrected then, OP listen to Visionary.

 

[MstaKing10]

There is usually some confusion when it comes to ocular oncology. In my mind, this specialty is focused on intraocular tumors such as melanomas, retinoblastoma etc. Plastics is more focused on extraocular tumors such as dermoids and the like. To treat intraocular tumors (plaques) then most will train in ocular oncology in addition to some other training, typically VR surgery, though had an attending who did plastics and another who was initially cornea trained (not common at all). For extraocular tumors, most good plastics programs will train well in orbital surgery to allow for comfort with treating such tumors. Most pure ocular onclologist have virtually given up other surgical/medical aspects and focus exclusively on ocular tumors. Thus, they can typically manage intraocular tumors of all sorts including anterior segment and posterior segment tumors. There are very few such experts and they typically work in an academic setting.