rads vs ophtho?

[ncmd2005]

Anyone have any input on deciding between radiology or ophtho. I am a visually oriented person who likes both fields a lot. I like procedures so IR is def an option and I like the breadth of radiology.. do ppl in ophtho ever feel its too focused? I would appreciate any input on what factors to consider in deciding.

As a side, would being red-green color blind affect your ability to do ophtho/retinal surgery in any way?

Thanks so much!

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[doc05]

rads is a way cooler field. too much of ophtho involves nonsurgical management which can get extremely tedious, esp. when many of your patients are old.

 

[PMPMD]

I'm color blind, and an ophthalmologist told me that ophtho was the only field that color blindness would keep me out of, although he didn't say why. There are definitely surgeons who are color blind; I don't know if there's something special about the eye or something.

 

[speyeder]

I'm color blind, and an ophthalmologist told me that ophtho was the only field that color blindness would keep me out of, although he didn't say why. There are definitely surgeons who are color blind; I don't know if there's something special about the eye or something.

Ophthalmologists need perfect vision because ophthalmic surgery is really microsurgery, performed under a microscope. If an ophthalmologist doesn't see perfectly, he/she can't be trusted to operate on something as small and intricate as the human eye They rely not only on visual acuity but also stereopsis (ability to see in 3-dimensions) and color vision for cues when operating.

 

[snaggletooth]

Ophthalmologists need perfect vision because ophthalmic surgery is really microsurgery, performed under a microscope.

Hm. If it's performed under a microscope doesn't that mean it's enlarged? I don't think that opthalmologists need to have "super-eyes" any more than a regular surgeon does.

 

[speyeder]

Hm. If it's performed under a microscope doesn't that mean it's enlarged? I don't think that opthalmologists need to have "super-eyes" any more than a regular surgeon does.

I wasn't implying that ophthalmologists need 'super vision', just normal vision. I was really trying to explain why having problems with color vision might dsiqualify someone from ophthalmology. Some ophtho programs require a complete eye exam including a test of stereoscopic vision as part of the application process. I don't think any other surgical field requires this.