Ophthalmology Our bodies are not invincible, due to physical injury and age there are parts and systems that do not work as well and need attention. Doctors are trained to be able to help people with these conditions. Ophthalmologists are one example of such doctors. They have attended extensive schooling to be able to recognize, diagnose, and treat ocular diseases and conditions. Due to the high stress and specialty of this field, ophthalmologists receive healthy compensation for the work they do and it allows for them to be able to control their schedule.
The amount of education someone must go through to become an ophthalmologist can seem daunting. Speaking in terms of time alone it takes 12 years of school, internships, and residency to complete the process (InnerBody, “How to become an Ophthalmologist”). After getting your bachelors, masters, and doctorate degrees you then have even more schooling to go through. Ophthalmologists are specialists in their field so even after medical school they must do a one year internship and three years residency before being able to practice freely. Even to get into either a medical program of a doctor of osteopathy program you need to meet various requirements ranging from your GPA, personal experiences, and most importantly scores from the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT). The MCAT measures the information learned from years of classes and possible experience working in the profession. After all the schooling is completed there is a strenuous two part exam administered by the American Board of Ophthalmologists that must be passed to legally be allowed to practice as an Ophthalmologist (American Academy of Ophthalmologists). Even after boards are passed there are the daily activities that are required to be able to successfully practice as an ophthalmologist. Every type of profession requires certain skills, ophthalmology is no different. Due to the detail oriented nature of performing surgery, excellent fine motor skills are required to ensure all of the delicate features of the eye are not harmed. Many of the instruments and tools used by an ophthalmologist require not only hand and eye coordination but also foot coordination. This enables the doctor to be able to better evaluate and perform selected tasks on patients. Also with how many different tasks that are required of their hands and feet, it is a large benefit if there is a degree of ambidexterity in the doctor to allow accurate diagnosis and treatment (Tarbet). There are many tools specific in the trade of an ophthalmologist, that one must become proficient in the use of to be able to better care for patients. One of those instruments being an ophthalmoscope: used to see how the eye is on the interior from looking through the pupil (stateuniveristy.com). Having the ability to judge depth is crucial to be able to see where and what is going on in the eye. Ophthalmologists have plenty of things to learn and become familiar with before being able to fully treat their clients.
Ophthalmologists have many responsibilities concerning not only illnesses but also physical defects of the eye. A major part of what ophthalmologists do is to perform operations on the eye. So not only can they suggest glasses, corrective lenses, and also contact lenses but they also can physically correct damage through surgery (Tarbet). Ophthalmologists also help institute preventive measures by teaching exercises that will benefit and possibly heal the eye from damage. Ophthalmologists have gone through medical school and therefore have earned the title of doctor. Due to the nature of their work, scheduling patients at certain times to come in, ophthalmologists have plenty of freedom to set their own schedule to allow them the type of lifestyle they desire. Whether they wish to have lots of time to themselves and their family or constantly be seeing a stream of clients at their office it is up to them. One important thing above all though is does an Ophthalmologist have the skills necessary to best serve their patients. The average salary for an Ophthalmologist in Arizona is $245,000 (Salary Wizard). Other benefits also are possible but could depend on what type of practice you have. If you work for a hospital or other institution there could be gas incentives or even a car to travel to and from your home. If you work for a corporation there are good healthcare packages. While if you own and operate a private practice you have the benefit of clearing large chunks of your schedule for personal reasons. Several of the benefits are largely reliant on the area in which you are working and the type of company that you work for, whether corporate or private. Regardless the type of practice there are several advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that being an ophthalmologist allows you to practice with a mix of medicine and surgery. Not only prescribing medicine or performing surgery but having the ability to do both. Another is that it is clean delicate surgery. Very little damage has to be done to the patient to be able to get into the designated area and it can be done with limited mess. Ophthalmologists deal with routinely scheduled appointments, though occasional emergency cases may come their way. The scheduling allows the doctor to be able to set his own hours in most cases and free up time when he would like to. Another advantage is there is no one age group patients are limited to. From pediatric to adult care Ophthalmologist takes care of it all. Of course having grateful clients and being able to see the rewards of a job well done are also advantages to being an ophthalmologist. Since there is opposition in all things there are some disadvantages. As has been mentioned before it does require difficult schooling and exams to qualify as an ophthalmologist. Much of the time you can be found working in dark conditions during eye exams and while performing surgery. Clinics can become busy and lead to overscheduling. The job market is also very competitive due to the lucrative and rewarding characteristics of being an ophthalmologist. With all things, the options must be weighed and decided if the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
An Ophthalmologist has many responsibilities and duties, but the foremost in priority is to make sure and provide the best care possible for their patients. Years and years of schooling and supervised practice ensure all procedures are done correctly. Many skills are used by ophthalmologists to make sure they can properly provide this care allowing for their patients to benefit immensely from the time invested by their doctor. Even the incentive of potentially earning a generous income and benefits is part of what motivates many ophthalmologists. Though some are swayed and discouraged by the advantages and disadvantages of becoming and practicing as an ophthalmologist. All of these things help a person to become a medical professional, who can correctly diagnose, treat, and fix any problem that occurs in the eye and relative areas.

Works Cited

“How to Become an Ophthalmologist” Inner Body. n.d. 17 September 2012.

“Ophthalmology.” Karen J. Tarbet M.D. 23 June 2011. American College of Surgeons: Educaiton Division. 17 September 2012.

“Ophthalmology Residency” EyeCareProfessions.com. n.d. 18 September 2012.

“About Ophthalmology and Eye M.D.s” American Academy of Ophthalmology. n.d. 18 September 2012.

Ophthalmologist Job Description, Career as an Ophthalmologist, Salary, Employment - Definition and Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job. StateUniveristy.com: Careers. n.d. 20 September 2012.

Ophthalmologist’s Salary. Salary Wizard. 2012. 22 September 2012.