Ophthalmology is the medical and surgical specialty concerned with the eye, the visual system and diseases that can affect sight. Ophthalmologists are medically qualified doctors who diagnose and treat eye disease, prescribe treatments, perform eye surgery and work with optometrists, orthoptists, nurses and other eye-care professionals.
Ophthalmology covers urgent eye problems, long-term conditions, sight-threatening disease, childhood eye disorders, trauma, eye surgery and the eye effects of wider medical conditions such as diabetes, autoimmune disease and infection.
Role in Eye Care
In the UK, many people first access eye care through an optometrist or ophthalmic practitioner during a sight test. These tests check vision and can also detect signs of eye disease. Where further investigation or treatment is needed, the person may be referred to a hospital eye clinic or specialist service.
Ophthalmologists manage cases that need medical diagnosis, injections, laser treatment, surgery or specialist monitoring. They also provide emergency eye care for symptoms such as sudden vision loss, severe eye pain, eye injury, flashes and floaters, or suspected retinal detachment.
Common Conditions
Common conditions managed in ophthalmology include cataract, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, corneal disease, uveitis, squint, amblyopia, dry eye disease, conjunctivitis and eye trauma.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has identified cataract, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy as major areas of NHS ophthalmic demand.
Assessment and Tests
Assessment may include visual acuity testing, refraction, slit-lamp examination, eye pressure measurement, dilated retinal examination, optical coherence tomography, visual field testing, colour vision testing, corneal imaging, ultrasound and photography of the retina.
The choice of test depends on the suspected condition. For example, glaucoma care often relies on eye pressure, optic nerve assessment and visual field testing, while retinal disease often uses retinal imaging and optical coherence tomography.
Treatment
Treatment varies widely. It may include glasses or contact lenses, eye drops, oral medicines, laser procedures, intravitreal injections, minor procedures or surgery.
Common surgical and procedural work includes cataract surgery, retinal surgery, glaucoma surgery, corneal transplantation, eyelid surgery, squint surgery and emergency repair of injuries. Intravitreal injections are widely used for conditions such as wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular oedema.
Prevention and Screening
Regular sight tests help detect conditions that may not hurt or cause obvious symptoms at first. The NHS recommends an eye test every two years for most people, or more often if advised by an eye-care professional.
People with diabetes may be invited for diabetic eye screening because diabetic retinopathy can cause sight loss before symptoms are noticed. People with a family history of glaucoma, high eye pressure or other risk factors may need closer monitoring.
Training and Standards
In the UK, ophthalmology training is a specialist medical training pathway. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists supports the profession, sets examinations and standards for training, publishes guidance and works on policy affecting eye-care services.
See Also
References
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