Ophthalmology 101

[dangit]

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I have been reading various FAQ for different specialties. They were all very informative, but for ophthalmology, I could not answer the following questions:

-What do ophthalmologists do? (i know they are eye physicians, but more specifically, what kind of procedures do they do?)
-What type of personality would be best suited for ophthalmology? (do procedures get routine and mundane so that it would not be good for people who get bored easily)

I just got accepted to medical school and ophthalmology is an interest to me because my family has a history of ocular disease. I know that this specialty is competitive so I wanted to get more information about it. I also recognize most people will say to do well the first two years of med school and the step1, but I hope that people with experience in ophthalmology could still help me out. Thank you so much!!

 

[Eyefixer]

Have you need this thread?

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=66427

 

[dangit]

yes, i read it, but couldn't answer my questions. could you help me out?

 

[MAYOphtho]

well I agree the above link does answer the question(s) but I'll go ahead and help out

I have been reading various FAQ for different specialties. They were all very informative, but for ophthalmology, I could not answer the following questions:

-What do ophthalmologists do? (i know they are eye physicians, but more specifically, what kind of procedures do they do?)
~~Ophthalmologists do all intra- and extraocular surgeries. This includes (but is not limited to) cataract removal, corneal transplants, refractive surgery, retina surgeries (vitrectomies, membrane peels, etc), glaucoma implant/device surgeries, muscle surgeries, cosmetic lid/brow surgeries, optic nerve fenestrations, enucleations, etc etc etc...to name a few...they are the surgeons of the eye but also help to manage non-surgical ocular disease

-What type of personality would be best suited for ophthalmology? (do procedures get routine and mundane so that it would not be good for people who get bored easily)
~~That I cant answer with certainty. The only thing I CAN say is that the Ophthalmologists I've known have all been those that like a good mix of surgery and clinic. Thus, for surgeons they are EXTREMELY laid back and friendly. They enjoy what they do and find their job VERY rewarding. I cannot wait to continue my Ophthalmology training. It really is the best field on this planet!

I just got accepted to medical school and ophthalmology is an interest to me because my family has a history of ocular disease. I know that this specialty is competitive so I wanted to get more information about it. I also recognize most people will say to do well the first two years of med school and the step1, but I hope that people with experience in ophthalmology could still help me out. Thank you so much!!
While first/second year grades are important for Step 1, Clinical Grades seem to matter more in the overall comparison. So make sure to do well there. Also, try to jump in on some research with your Ophtho dept to show you have a dedication to the field. These are good starting points for you! Good luck!

 

[dangit]

hi,

i just wanted to thank you for taking the time to read this and answering me. it really helps 🙂

also, what program are you in, if you don't mind sharing (maybe you can PM me if you don't feel comfortable sharing over the internet 😉 )

 

[OphthoApp]

Ha I am going to take a guess and say from his/her name the person is from the Mayo Clinic.

 

[MR1]

Just wanted to add one clarification for you. We do all those surgeries mentioned during residency usually, but you probably won't in practice. Ophtho is very sub-specialized now. As a general OMD w\o fellowship the most common surgery is cataracts, some also will do uncomplicated muscle surgery, lid\brow lifts, glaucoma lasers, YAG's, retina lasers, intravitreal injections. As far as glaucoma filtering\tube shunts, K transplants, DSAEK, LASIK, nerve decompressions, big orbital stuff, and esp retinal stuff that is mostly done by sub-specialists. Not to say general OMD's aren't doing that in smaller towns but it isn't as common these days.

Also yes we manage everything non-surgical as well. Most I would say avg about 1 day in surgery and 3-4 clinic.

 

[dangit]

cool thanks for the reply. do you think you might get bored of doing these procedures 20 years from now? (i guess i'm the type to get bored easily...)

also, what made you get into ophthalmology?

 

[alleyesonme]

cool thanks for the reply. do you think you might get bored of doing these procedures 20 years from now? (i guess i'm the type to get bored easily...)

also, what made you get into ophthalmology?

I think that you could say this about any specialty in medicine: 20 years of experience could make the surgeries or procedures feel monotonous (how about looking at MRIs every day for 20 years!). However, if you truly have a passion for what you do, whether saving someone's life with a coronary bypass surgery or preserving someone's vision with eye surgery, you will continue to find excitement in what you do. Plus, you can always mix things up, whether through teaching residents and fellows, engaging in research, performing clinical trials, developing new surgical instruments, or performing international mission trips. When choosing a particular specialty, make sure you investigate it thoroughly before committing, so that you are sure to make an informed decision. If you follow your heart and gut, you will make the right decision for you.

As for myself, I worked with an ophthalmologist for some time before going to medical school. At that time, I was fascinated with all the gadgets and instruments used (slit lamp, all the lenses, automated perimetry, lasers, imaging devices, etc.). Once in medical school I discovered that I enjoyed outpatient and clinic medicine rather than inpatient medicine. As I investigated ophthalmology further, I found that I truly loved the eye and its complexities. I am also a visually oriented person, and ophthalmology is a visually oriented specialty (diagnose by seeing and identifying pathology, rather than where the history or lab results point you). Plus, ophthalmology allowed me to practice general eye care, surgery, radiology (reading MRIs, fluoroscein angiograms, ICGs, OCTs, visual fields, photos), post-op care, etc. Additionally, ophthalmology offers sub-specialization in glaucoma, oculoplastics, retina, cornea, pediatrics, uveitis, ocular oncology, neuro-ophthalmology. Finally, ophthalmology is a rapidly advancing and evolving specialty with new imaging and diagnostic devices (Spectralis OCT), new surgical techniques and procedures (DSAEK, 25g v. 23g v. 20g vitrectomy, etc.), research (Avastin and Lucentis), and there are still many things in ophthalmology that still need to be worked out (novel drug delivery systems, treatments for dry AMD, glaucoma, etc.).

Ophthalmology is an amazing field, I hope that this helps you in making a decision on the right specialty for you. PM me any additional questions.

 

[nsxracingy2k]

I think that you could say this about any specialty in medicine: 20 years of experience could make the surgeries or procedures feel monotonous (how about looking at MRIs every day for 20 years!). However, if you truly have a passion for what you do, whether saving someone's life with a coronary bypass surgery or preserving someone's vision with eye surgery, you will continue to find excitement in what you do. Plus, you can always mix things up, whether through teaching residents and fellows, engaging in research, performing clinical trials, developing new surgical instruments, or performing international mission trips. When choosing a particular specialty, make sure you investigate it thoroughly before committing, so that you are sure to make an informed decision. If you follow your heart and gut, you will make the right decision for you.

As for myself, I worked with an ophthalmologist for some time before going to medical school. At that time, I was fascinated with all the gadgets and instruments used (slit lamp, all the lenses, automated perimetry, lasers, imaging devices, etc.). Once in medical school I discovered that I enjoyed outpatient and clinic medicine rather than inpatient medicine. As I investigated ophthalmology further, I found that I truly loved the eye and its complexities. I am also a visually oriented person, and ophthalmology is a visually oriented specialty (diagnose by seeing and identifying pathology, rather than where the history or lab results point you). Plus, ophthalmology allowed me to practice general eye care, surgery, radiology (reading MRIs, fluoroscein angiograms, ICGs, OCTs, visual fields, photos), post-op care, etc. Additionally, ophthalmology offers sub-specialization in glaucoma, oculoplastics, retina, cornea, pediatrics, uveitis, ocular oncology, neuro-ophthalmology. Finally, ophthalmology is a rapidly advancing and evolving specialty with new imaging and diagnostic devices (Spectralis OCT), new surgical techniques and procedures (DSAEK, 25g v. 23g v. 20g vitrectomy, etc.), research (Avastin and Lucentis), and there are still many things in ophthalmology that still need to be worked out (novel drug delivery systems, treatments for dry AMD, glaucoma, etc.).

Ophthalmology is an amazing field, I hope that this helps you in making a decision on the right specialty for you. PM me any additional questions.

Thanks for such a thoughtful post.

 

[dangit]

I think that you could say this about any specialty in medicine: 20 years of experience could make the surgeries or procedures feel monotonous (how about looking at MRIs every day for 20 years!). However, if you truly have a passion for what you do, whether saving someone's life with a coronary bypass surgery or preserving someone's vision with eye surgery, you will continue to find excitement in what you do. Plus, you can always mix things up, whether through teaching residents and fellows, engaging in research, performing clinical trials, developing new surgical instruments, or performing international mission trips. When choosing a particular specialty, make sure you investigate it thoroughly before committing, so that you are sure to make an informed decision. If you follow your heart and gut, you will make the right decision for you.

As for myself, I worked with an ophthalmologist for some time before going to medical school. At that time, I was fascinated with all the gadgets and instruments used (slit lamp, all the lenses, automated perimetry, lasers, imaging devices, etc.). Once in medical school I discovered that I enjoyed outpatient and clinic medicine rather than inpatient medicine. As I investigated ophthalmology further, I found that I truly loved the eye and its complexities. I am also a visually oriented person, and ophthalmology is a visually oriented specialty (diagnose by seeing and identifying pathology, rather than where the history or lab results point you). Plus, ophthalmology allowed me to practice general eye care, surgery, radiology (reading MRIs, fluoroscein angiograms, ICGs, OCTs, visual fields, photos), post-op care, etc. Additionally, ophthalmology offers sub-specialization in glaucoma, oculoplastics, retina, cornea, pediatrics, uveitis, ocular oncology, neuro-ophthalmology. Finally, ophthalmology is a rapidly advancing and evolving specialty with new imaging and diagnostic devices (Spectralis OCT), new surgical techniques and procedures (DSAEK, 25g v. 23g v. 20g vitrectomy, etc.), research (Avastin and Lucentis), and there are still many things in ophthalmology that still need to be worked out (novel drug delivery systems, treatments for dry AMD, glaucoma, etc.).

Ophthalmology is an amazing field, I hope that this helps you in making a decision on the right specialty for you. PM me any additional questions.

yes thank you 🙂