Ophthalmology, << `of` thal MOL uh jee, >> is the field of medicine involving the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. An ophthalmologist must have an M.D. degree and three to five years of specialized training in a residency program, usually in a hospital.
Most ophthalmologists limit their medical and surgical practice to the eye. They examine the eye with special equipment and check visual acuity (the ability of the eye to see). If a patient’s visual acuity is less than normal, an ophthalmologist usually does a refraction to determine whether the decrease in vision can be corrected with glasses. A refraction is a check of the power of the lens and cornea of the eye relative to the size of the eye. If the patient needs glasses, the ophthalmologist usually gives the patient a prescription for them. Glasses are made by an optician.
If the patient’s vision cannot be corrected with glasses, the ophthalmologist’s examination will help detect the cause of poor vision. An ophthalmologist performs the necessary operation if an eye condition requires corrective surgery, such as the removal of cataracts (clouding of the lens of an eye). Ophthalmologists also may perform other types of surgery, including surgery to correct strabismus (cross-eye) or other muscle imbalances of the eyes, corneal transplants, and surgery to control glaucoma (increase in fluid pressure in the eye).
By studying the retina (back layer of the eye), an ophthalmologist may discover signs of diseases of other parts of the body. For example, such diseases as diabetes, AIDS, and certain forms of anemia may cause changes in the appearance of the retina.
