Wisely choosing a Medical Field (for one-eyed physicians).

[SY2013]

Hi, I'm a 2nd year med student and I'm "blind" in one eye. Really, I have amblyopia. I can see well in one eye but in my other eye, I can only see through my peripheral vision (central vision is totally black if my good eye is closed). I know I can't go into surgery and radiology is probably a bad idea ( don't want to strain my one good eye staring at all those Xray screens all day). I was wondering, are there other fields that would probably be a bad idea for a doctor with only one good eye to go into? Conversely, which fields would probably be OK? I'm mostly worried about not having adequate depth-perception and straining my eyes (I don't have a backup eye like most people do so I need to keep it healthy and strain-free for as long as I can).

Here are a few fields I'm currently thinking of going into: gastroenterology (how will fare with all those procedures I'd have to do?), pulm, nephrology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, allergy/imm, etc (open to many other fields). I can't go into a field I really want to go into (surgery) because of my eye; I want to make sure that the field I DO choose is compatible with my condition. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[bashwell]

Hi, I'm a 2nd year med student and I'm "blind" in one eye. Really, I have amblyopia. I can see well in one eye but in my other eye, I can only see through my peripheral vision (central vision is totally black if my good eye is closed). I know I can't go into surgery and radiology is probably a bad idea ( don't want to strain my one good eye staring at all those Xray screens all day). I was wondering, are there other fields that would probably be a bad idea for a doctor with only one good eye to go into? Conversely, which fields would probably be OK? I'm mostly worried about not having adequate depth-perception and straining my eyes (I don't have a backup eye like most people do so I need to keep it healthy and strain-free for as long as I can).

Here are a few fields I'm currently thinking of going into: gastroenterology (how will fare with all those procedures I'd have to do?), pulm, nephrology, endocrinology, ophthalmology, allergy/imm, etc (open to many other fields). I can't go into a field I really want to go into (surgery) because of my eye; I want to make sure that the field I DO choose is compatible with my condition. Any insight will be greatly appreciated.

IMO, you'd be fine in the non-procedural specialties or subspecialties.

However I don't think you necessarily need to rule out procedural specialties or subspecialties (e.g. I've known of or heard of "one-eyed" surgeons). But specialties where you need very fine depth-perception such as in microsurgery might be more of a concern. For example, ophthalmology does involve a lot of work under the (binocular) microscope, slit lamp, etc. so that might be an issue. Likewise plastic surgery, vascular surgery, neurosurgery.

It essentially depends on how well you can compensate in other ways for your "blind" eye (e.g. prisms). Maybe ask an ophthalmologist about this if you haven't already?

 

[NeuroOsler]

When I was a medical student I had a "one eye" Internal medicine resident which was very good. He then did his fellowship in Endocrinology.

As mentioned before, anything that needs depth perception is probably out for you (sorry..). If you still want to do some procedures maybe critical care (central lines, A-lines etc.) could be an option, even anesthesia.

Check with your ophthalmologist, maybe he/she has already an idea and even some colleagues he/she knows with limited vision.

 

[Roberie]

I heard of an ortho resident at my hospital who lost his eye surfing, but was still able to continue and graduate.

 

[EDParallax]

Infectious disease, rheumatology, preventive medicine or primary care.... rehab?

 

[Shikima]

Psychiatry. Just consider your bad eye the "lie detector".

 

[Bronze Medal]

As mentioned above, I would rule out any surgical specialty in which you operate under a microscope or need binocular vision. This would include ophthalmology. Some ophtho residencies actually require a vision test to be submitted before you are invited to interview. They want to confirm that you have stereopsis, or the ability to perceive depth.

You would likely be fine with most (if not all) internal medicine subspecialties.

 

[Mad Jack]

Interventional rads and cards are good examples of procedural specialties you could easily perform without having depth perception. Most of the action takes place on 2D screens. Hell, most IM subspecialties would also be fine. Bronchs, endoscopy, etc are all done on screens.

 

[chronicidal]

I would ask an ophthalmologist you trust regarding eye strain before you rule out radiology, especially as it offers some procedural aspects you might be looking for yet does not require stereopsis. Does having one good eye mean it's easier to strain compared to two-eyed people, who use both eyes simultaneously, straining both eyes?

 

[Radiologyreviews2015]

I would ask an ophthalmologist you trust regarding eye strain before you rule out radiology, especially as it offers some procedural aspects you might be looking for yet does not require stereopsis. Does having one good eye mean it's easier to strain compared to two-eyed people, who use both eyes simultaneously, straining both eyes?

See http://med.stanford.edu/bodyimaging/people/fellows.html